Ooh, Baby
by JamieJeean
Summary: SEQUEL TO 'OH BABY! Once is never enough for Larxene... or so it seems to be. The Castle becomes an uproar as useless drama fills the halls, secrets are kept, and bonds are formed or broken. Xemnas told them all that they have no hearts and no emotions; Then why so many feelings thrown about? Life heats up in many ways for these Nobodies in the coming months. Larxel, RokuNami
1. Round Two

"_Get it OUT_!"

Larxene writhed on the bed, definitely not prepared for this pain once again, all of it coming back to her worse than before. It hadn't been this bad the last time - it couldn't have possibly been this bad.

The Castle was in a flurry again, the members unprepared the second time round as well. Prepare yourself all you want for anything, but no matter what, the moment it happens, you're never ready. This sad truth, each member understood; they just wouldn't admit it to themselves.

Larxene was digging her nails into the hands of those beside her: Axel, and Marluxia. Lookie who. She gripped them like lifelines, just for something to hold on to, a tangible piece of reality, despite the pain of childbirth. Ugh, yes - childbirth. Larxene loathed the word, and yet here she was reenacting it itself. Why did fate love to tease?

Larxene's toes curled and her legs bent in pain. Why was there no Epidural That Never Was? Couldn't Vexen be bothered, with all the time on his icy hands, to at least make this process easier? It would be a really big help...

"Get it out..." Larxene repeated with less force, practically groaning the word as she leaned her head back on the headboard of the bed, sweating and panting.

Marluxia reached his free hand up to dab at her fevered skin with a damp cloth. "It isn't time just yet," he soothed her, patting the cloth at her hot neck. "Just a little longer."

Larxene screamed, "It's _never_ time! That is exactly what you said LAST time! And the last time _before_ last time!"

"Shh."

Zexion came in the room then. He looked with concern and wariness at the woman on the bed, who hadn't sensed his presence. Axel glanced up with guarded eyes at him. "Coming along fine, are we?" he asked nonchalantly, walking to the end of the bed. Marluxia and Axel made sounds of displeasure at Zexion's blatant uncaring. In response, Zexion waved a hand at them both. "Uptight." He shook his head. "Don't be so serious."

"You should talk." Marluxia's blue eyes bore into Zexion's, a hint of menace inside. Zexion frowned back, and instead then turned his attention back to Larxene.

_Hmm_, he thought. "It should be soon."

As soon as he said it, Larxene cried out and tensed, eyes squeezing shut. Axel and Marluxia's hands were clenched and they both involuntarily squeezed it. Their eyes met over Larxene.

Neither wanted the other present, but Larxene had demanded they stay, and why not? Marluxia also wanted to be there _this_ time.

Zexion smiled slightly, shifting his weight. "Soon, the contractions will change, and we'll need to instruct. Until that time..." he looked a bit nervous. "I shall be waiting." He left.

Axel sighed, as Marluxia watched him suspiciously. Axel looked just as tired as he was. But neither were as exhausted as Larxene.

She started breathing shallowly, little inhalations through her nose. She wouldn't open her eyes. Whenever she talked, it wasn't directly to them, or anyone.

Suddenly she moaned, voice shaking and escalating quickly, as she sunk into the bed, grit her teeth and crushed their hands. "Kingdom Hearts..." she groaned.

Subconsciously, Larxene started to spread her legs, opening her hips, and digging her heels onto the mattress. She mumbled incoherently, tossing her head from side to side and still sweating profusely from exertion. Axel and

Marluxia noticed the change and immediately snapped to attention.

"Is it time?" Marluxia wondered. Axel's and his eyes were slightly more round, backs slightly straighter. "Should we get Zexion?"

Axel licked his lips. "Um...Yes. Um, yes-" he repeated but was cut off by Larxene's scream of outrage and pain and ... hormones.

"_Kingdom Hearts_!" she roared and arched her back off of the bed, writhing and curling her legs.

"Zexion!"

He arrived at the same time they were pronouncing his name, as though the entire Castle had not heard. Zexion was all business. "Who's serious now?" Marluxia murmured. Zexion ignored him.

"Yes, it's coming," Zexion informed them in a low voice. "We'll need to start pushing." Why "we"? As if they all were a part of this.

Axel suppressed a groan himself, and instead dragged a hand down his face. So much time had passed to come to this... and it had been started all over again...

It all started with someone's - a certain someone's - simple little name...


	2. First Of All

_**"She is a real person, breathing and alive... A Nobody, like any of us."**_

* * *

Larxene stood tapping her foot furiously in the circle of Axel, Saix, and Xemnas. The Superior had emerged from wherever dark abode he had been in (be it the Altar of Naught, Room of Awakening or Where Nothing Gathers) and this time personally came to see what had happened this time.

"A baby," Larxene growled through her teeth. "That's what happened."

Xemnas's forehead creased with concern at the thought that this could be quite another nuisance for the Organization... Another baby? Larxene was just starting to get posted back to work on a regular basis much like before, so now of course she had to get knocked up.

Xemnas opened his mouth, beginning to speak, but before he could, Saix sighed, eyes closing briefly. "You're positive," Saix said to Larxene.

She lifted the pregnancy test, glancing at it and tapping it twice. "Well, that's what it says right here!" she said loudly.

Saix opened his eyes, both the Superior and him gazing hard at the her. She grimaced back, and Saix said, "Not the test... You know for _sure_?"

After glaring a moment longer, the blonde looked down and contemplated. Yes, all the signs were showing so far: and she did take her tests very very often. Besides; the only reason she had to be so careful with these tests was because Xemnas wouldn't allow her to be on the pill, producing unnecessary hormones and tinkering with the physique of her Nobody form. And ever since the first time she had got pregnant, she was - not to mention Axel was - prudent about how they protected themselves against "having another mutant spawn growing"(quote Larxene herself). Not to say the two didn't slip up once in a while; sometimes, lust mixed with need just can't wait for a condom of some kind.

Meanwhile she sorted her thoughts out, Axel stood in between her and Xemnas quietly. He didn't know exactly how to feel about all this: another baby... so, technically they had the choice again, didn't they? To keep it or not... But seeing how the last one had turned out, with his and her daughter, Axel felt the compulsion to beg Larxene for it. She had to keep it. She, too, even felt something for their child. If possible.

Eventually Larxene looked back up and in turn met the eyes of each of the men around her. Her expression was not happy when she admitted, "It's positive."

Saix and Xemnas sighed in unison; for Saix, it was more a hiss.

Axel's expression was slightly unreadable as he looked at Larxene. Half sad, half excited and happy. Nevertheless, he stayed put with his arms folded in front of his chest.

Larxene was defiant of course, not willing to be degraded by anyone, even not her superiors (which would be all three of them in this case), and although slightly disappointed by this "new found" information she was hard-headed as always.

Finally Xemnas exhaled sharply and disappeared back into darkness. Saix cocked an eyebrow at Axel and Larxene, cue for them to fend for themselves, preferably in a productive way, before disappearing in his turn.

There was a silence. Axel stared at the ground, sifting through his thoughts, not sure what to say to Larxene beside him, not sure what to say to anyone else and definitely not to his own kid...

Suddenly a soft gloved hand was cupping his face, her voice purring, "Don't let this disappoint you." Larxene's sharp green eyes were facing his own, eyebrows arched cunningly, lips formed in a smirk of amusement mixed with stress - it reflected in her eyes as well. Axel narrowed his lids, pursing his lips at her words. She moved closer, other hand sliding to wrap around and press onto the small of his back. He didn't uncross his arms.

Then Larxene narrowed her eyes as well, eyes questioning, so he answered, "How am I disappointed?"

"Are you?" she murmured back, slightly cocking her head. Axel closed his eyes, raising his eyebrows.

"I don't even know, personally..." His eyes opened, but now not meeting hers. "Then again, I can't say if I'm happy, either."

Larxene bit the inside of her cheek.

Axel finally unfolded his arms and put them down by his sides. "Well, the only question I have is..."

He hesitated, so she inquired, "Yes...?"

"Do you want to keep it this time?" he muttered lamely.

Larxene only smiled and shook her head, placing both hands on his shoulders. "Just don't worry about that for now," she cooed, stretching up on her toes to murmur it at his ear. Then she kissed him, pulling at his bottom lip. The two gazed at each other, testing. After a bit of playfulness, Larxene left him without warning into a Dark Corridor, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Not good.

The tiniest cloak in the Organization belonged to that of the red-haired child. The hood flopped back, now, as she struggled against the hold of the arms of Demyx, to reveal pale clear skin, big dark green eyes, and two purple teardrop markings from the corners of her brilliant eyes which matched those of her father, Axel. Her heavy bangs fell across her face, fringed her cheeks, and the electric streaked red hair was pulled back and up into ponytails.

The owner of these features leaned away from the sitarist, towards Axel, who was approaching, though not in their direction.

He didn't exactly know where to head, but he knew that going to his child was probably not the best option at this time. So naturally, Axel should then turn his attention to her.

"Raye," he murmured with slight reproach at her struggles for freedom of the cage of Demyx's arms. She made a pout face, and Demyx wrapped his hold around her firmly again.

Demyx noticed the expression Axel had. Obviously the entire Castle had heard Larxene's rage, again, and as she had dragged Axel away furiously to Xemnas, Saix not far behind. At least Axel had avoided a beating the second time. Demyx, nor anyone, was positively sure about what had went down, but by the familiar sounds of it, it had not been good news. Especially seeing Axel's face at the moment.

Demyx frowned in concern; seeing his daughter and his coworker giving him the same look did not make Axel feel any better.

Axel, in turn, looked at both of them. Then he said, "Problem?" So conspicuous.

Demyx cleared his throat only to be interrupted by "Daddy, you were yelled at and mommy took you away and was really mad... and you look sad... of course there's a problem!"

Axel sighed, not helping it. He reached up to rub the back of his neck and Demyx said, "Yeah, what's up? It's obvious something happened." He lowered his voice. "Is it something we should know about...? We, as in..." Demyx gestured to Raye with his head, who was still looking at her daddy with concern and curiosity. "Something the rest of us should know?"

Axel understood the point, so Demyx put Raye down. She immediately went to cling onto Axel's leg. He stared down at her. "Raye."

Raye only clung even tighter.

Demyx leaned down to tell her, "This is a conversation for the grown-ups. I know you think you seem smart enough, but you can't come with us, okay?"

Raye looked at her "uncle" Dem. Demyx raised his eyebrows. "Please?" he asked.

Raye looked back up at Axel, who nodded. She finally let go and disappeared into a portal of darkness. Demyx had already straightened up, and now he and Axel faced each other.

"So?" Demyx asked as they wandered aimlessly around the Castle. "What's the news?"

"Should I share?" Axel asked back, to himself or to Demyx, he wasn't sure. "I think Xemnas is most likely going to call up a meeting."

Demyx frowned in thought, quiet for a moment. If Xemnas was calling a meeting about it - most likely - this was something kind of serious. But "kind of" wasn't cutting it.

"Is it that important?" Demyx finally asked uneasily, already knowing the answer to that. Axel nodded, screwing up his mouth. Demyx sighed. He was pretty sure he knew what was going on. Common ground, all too familiar.

Xemnas did call a meeting, just like last time. Raye was not invited, much to her discontent, and she felt like she was being ignored and neglected and very much left out.

"Again?!" was the first word that popped out of Xion's big mouth, after Xemnas relayed the news. Everyone stared. Xion sunk back into her seat. "Well..." she continued. "That's good news?"

"That's hardly good news!" Larxene objected, leaning forward. "This is absolutely..."

"...horrible timing," Saix finished for her. "We don't honestly have time for another member of this organization."

Xemnas agreed. They all didn't even understand their reason for being there; he was fooling them all. And now that they had started having children - ahem - it was not getting anywhere since Nobodies were not supposed to... breed.

"Then why did you agree to the first one?" Axel asked of Saix.

"The first was practically an experiment," Vexen interjected with, waving his hands. "We didn't know what would become of that one, so obviously we had to let it be born."

Xaldin commented, "And what a good idea that was?"

Axel frowned and rebutted his statement, "Come on, you all have to agree that you-"

"Thought she was a bad idea," Marluxia continued.

Before Axel could freak at him, Xigbar called, "As if she was a bad idea, Mar. You gotta admit the thing's cute!"

"The thing," Zexion muttered. "That is all she is?"

Xion protested. "She _is_ a real person! Breathing and alive! A Nobody, but... like any of us!"

"Still an experiment," Vexen sniffed.

"And a bad idea," Xaldin grumbled.

Lexaeus just stayed quiet during all this.

Larxene scowled and had to yell over them all arguing. "This isn't what we came here to talk about! What's done is done; now it's happening for _the second time_," she roared the last words.

"Defending your kin, Larxene?" Saix murmured.

Larxene sneered at him, thinking _You'd do the same had it been your own_, and then continued to he point. "I'm having another fucking baby, so everyone get over it, since there's nothing that can be done." The first time she had seemed to defend her child - plural - and herself, much less come to the sane conclusion that it was so.

The rest listened and agreed much as they may not like to and Xemnas dismissed them with a few parting words. It was getting late anyway, at the World That Never Was.


	3. Rare Night Alone

_**Raye's eyes widened in shock. More important things other than her?**_

* * *

How the hell do you explain to a heartless, young, five-year-old-sized toddler, who doesn't exist, that they have a sibling?

Axel and Larxene contemplated this more than others; everyone else was not that concerned about that whole process. Axel was the one most concerned about it anyway.

Demyx was pretty cautious about that approach as well; of course. Good ol' Dem being a good uncle, he was like a big brother and almost even another father.

But either way, no matter who told her in no matter what fashion, Raye was most possibly going to freak out.  
So Axel wondered if she should know right away.

"I don't think telling her after finding out so soon..." he started to tell Larxene. She cut him off with a fed up look.

"You knew this before we 'found out so soon' so don't give me that crap."

"I see your hormones are kick-starting already," Axel commented. Larxene replied with a jab to Axel's side.

Raye was camping out in her room, all alone. She huddled near the window, wondering why she wasn't allowed to be part of those "meetings" and go wherever everyone went every day. Except Saix... he never went anywhere. He gave all everybody else those papers though...

Raye wondered all this and felt so lonely. She felt the presence of others networking around the Castle now so she got up and teleported.

Raye ended up in the Gray Area. Only people there were Saix - oh! surprise! - Xigbar, Demyx, and Zexion. Raye frowned, looking again, just to make sure. They were not who she was looking for.

Demyx waved, calling her name, inviting her to join them. Zexion looked up, Xigbar grinned at her with his arm slung around the back of the couch beside Demyx. Demyx put away his sitar for her and patted his lap. But Raye shook her head.

Not waiting to see their expressions at the refusal, Raye got going through another realm of darkness and arrived shortly to her destination at Havoc's Divide: and there were her parents. Both were currently conversing but stopped as soon as she arrived. Raye looked from one to the other, eyes twitching back and forth patiently.  
Axel and Larxene smiled at her. "What's new?" Axel asked Raye, who noted the look of annoyance Larxene gave him.

Raye shrugged helplessly. She said quietly, "Nothing... you all were at another one of those meetings, so I just kind of stayed in my room..." She looked up at them both.

"Playing hopeless damsel doesn't work on me, sadly," Larxene informed her. "Although you are still hopeless."

Axel, this time, sent the frown to Larxene.

Raye sighed. She had learned that puppy eyes usually led to coddling, which was nice, although Xemnas disapproved it. She didn't always get what she wanted, but she had learned to con her way through things, much like her dad.

Axel didn't take sympathy this time either, which annoyed Raye to no end; nobody today was paying her any attention! They were all too busy for her. Raye pouted up her face again, clenching her small hands into fists in her gloves as Axel agreed: "Raye, go hang out with uncle Dem or something... Mom and I are busy... Sorry we can't be there instead but there are more important things to do." At the last words, Raye's eyes widened in shock. More important things? More important things other than _her_?!

Raye didn't say anything, just furiously flew away in a Dark Corridor, the wisps trailing after it coated in her anger and gone swiftly. Larxene raised an eyebrow.

Raye went back to the couch where the trio of Xigbar, Zex, and Demyx had been earlier. She practically landed in Demyx's lap, begging for attention, grabbing at his coat and wrapping her arms around his neck. He, in surprise,  
returned the hug - more like clutch - placing his hands on her back. Raye was already wailing, which made Saix throw his head back and sigh.

"What's the matter?" Demyx asked her in concern. Xigbar, beside them, looked surprised as well, since Raye was usually not so upset like this. Zexion paid minor attention, flipping through his current novel.

Raye didn't answer, just sunk into his arms and kept sobbing. Eventually her hold loosened, and Demyx cradled her against his chest as the sniffles died away gradually.

When Raye reached up to swipe at her nose, eyes all red and wet, Demyx asked again, "What's wrong, Raye?"

Raye shook her head, turning her face deeper into his coat. "Raye," Demyx urged, seeing how she was so upset. "Something's up, I can tell."

Those words, "something's up" reminded her of Axel's earlier "what's up". That made Raye start to shiver with an oncoming crying storm. Xigbar muttered in Demyx's ear, "_Great_."

Raye started to cry again, of course, and Demyx soothed her as he always would, ever since she had been a baby. He bounced her very very lightly, humming quietly to her a tune he had composed himself.

Saix sent a look their way wondering "What is it?" to which Xigbar shrugged and mirrored Demyx's clueless expression.

Raye eventually quieted down again and Demyx sat her up on his lap. Raye wouldn't meet his eye, keeping her eye at his cloak zipper even when he said only to her, "So what is it?"

Raye pushed her lower lip out, eyelids narrowing as she turned her face away. Demyx murmured again, "Tell me." Raye looked down at Demyx's sleeve. Oh, very interesting...

Demyx put a finger under her chin to force her gaze to his. Raye's dark green eyes stared into his blue ones, which were concerned, if such a thing a Nobody could be. Raye still slowly shook her head.

"Please?" Demyx asked once more, and Raye sighed, giving up.

She climbed up to his ear and whispered it to him. Demyx understood and patted her back as she sniffled again. Raye wrapped her arms around his neck, laid her face against the soft skin there, and slowly drifted off. Demyx started humming again.

Zexion, after around a half hour, got up with a heavy exhalation, shutting his book and walking away. Saix thought this was a good idea; besides, only Roxas was left needing to come back from his mission since he was third slowest besides Demyx... Saix headed off as well. Demyx watched both of their departures and shifted his weight and Raye's on the couch, slumping down, relaxing, and closing his eyes. Xigbar was already snoozing, not that long after Raye had started her nap.

The three were left alone in the Grey Area, and found by Namine as she came in the room in search of Roxas. She didn't find him. Instead, Namine looked at Xigbar, Demyx and Raye asleep on the couch. She chuckled once to herself and then skipped lightly away again.

Pattering rain, footsteps, fabric rustling. Marluxia stopped outside of Larxene's door, sensing that she was alone; he had walked here so that she would know he was there. Physically, figuratively... their relation had grown sour: she didn't like the sight of his face or the mention of his name. Larxene knew he was outside her door, waiting for her to open it, for her to allow some sort of connection and reaffirm their bond. But Larxene wasn't just going to be that easy.

She sat in her room, alone, at the edge of her bed and had that disturbance of peace feeling, the very source outside her door. Larxene stared from her lap to out the window, back to her hands locked together, fingers twisted around each other and fidgeting. In a Castle this quiet at this hour, every rustle could be heard, every stir.

Marluxia waited, not knowing what exactly for.

Larxene bit her lip, frowning, growing irritated and not going to open the door for him. She didn't want to go to Axel or anyone else either...

A rare night alone.

Marluxia finally sighed silently, closed his eyes slowly, and disappeared.


	4. What's the Difference

_**Larxene and Axel were alike in the way they hid their feelings. **_

_**As far as they all knew, Nobodies did not exist without a heart to feel with.**_

* * *

Days passed still without Raye's knowing of her sister/brother. No one knew how to break the news, and Xemnas forbid the telling. Everyone else was still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that their was even another kid on the way. Xaldin, for example, didn't believe it. Vexen wanted to find out for himself, but to do that would mean having Larxene's left boot hell squashed into his skull.

Axel was on the fence about fathering another baby. Marluxia had stopped bothering to get involved. Xion was ecstatic.

Larxene was bothered.

She was so much more crabby than usual, yelling and snapping at anyone and everyone. She kept making Raye cry, and Raye didn't know why. Larx spent most of her time off work alone in her bedroom, and anyone who was partnered with her for a day feared for their lives.

Raye wanted the affection of her mother, but she was so afraid to go near her and so ended up being alone and only in the comfort of men. Even though Xion could act as a female replacement, Raye would have much preferred her own mother. And besides, apparently her parents were too busy with more important things to look after her.

"Mama," Raye tried one day as Larxene passed right by her in the hall. Raye reached up at Larxene's coat that fluttered just out of reach. Her mother ignored her. Raye's chin trembled and the backs of her eyes seared.

Raye sunk to the floor, sobbing. "See, no one wants me," she cried to herself. She put her fists up to her eyes and started bawling. "No one wants mee" she repeated, a mantra. Raye hardly noticed the strong thin arms that picked her up and rocked her. She continued to cry and cry, distressed at the thought of being alone in a place so big - this castle was the only world she knew.

Eventually Raye's sobs petered off, and she whimpered a few times as her tears dried in streams across her flushed cheeks. She rested her head against the cloaked shoulder of whomever was holding and rocking her, her arms wrapped around their neck. Raye watched the long white hall before her with droopy eyelids after she had been all cried out. She felt the bob of an Adam's apple against her arm as the person swallowed. His hand soothingly patted her back while constantly rocking back and forth. Raye sniffed, realizing that when in her time of pain and loneliness, someone had found her.

Raye closed her eyes and snuggled her face into the neck and collar of her holder, feeling their cheek press against the top of her head as they turned their head. She could smell cinnamon and another sharp cool smell, mixed with shower gel and the scent of... matches? It was a warm, familiar smell, one that Raye could not mistake.

As he felt Raye drift off asleep, safe now in his arms, Axel continued to rock her as he walked down the hall to  
naught's skyway and fresh rainy air. It smelled like ozone here, and he predicted it was because a certain lightning wielder had previously been venting her frustration on the Nobodies hanging around - or that had been. He sighed. He knew why Raye had been crying.

Raye was now comforted, which made Axel feel better, too. He didn't have anything to do; he was off work and he had been aimlessly wandering until he had come across the little red haired girl crying to herself in the empty hallway. In the distance, the enraged cries of her mother had been accented to the wailing and sniveling, and it had made a very despairing scene for Axel.

Axel had no idea why Larxene was completely ignoring Raye, their own daughter. Raye was begging for attention, but was afraid to get it at the same time. Axel tightened his hold on Raye as if her tiny form would disappear from his arms. Larxene needed to understand this... Larxene already knew. Why did she blatantly brush off every little thing that happened around her? Deep down, maybe Larxene felt bad about it. On the surface, anything she showed was masked by her bad attitude.

Perhaps that's why he and she made such a good match, Axel mused as he walked around the Castle's exterior.

Floating and dancing Dusks examined Axel and Raye as they passed. Larxene and Axel were actually alike in the way they hid their...feelings. Reactions is a much better way to put it; as far as they all knew, Nobodies did not exist without a heart to feel with.

But Axel and Larxene, what a pair. Burying deep their own selves to put on an act completely different to save their person - if they had one. They did not show their true selves to anyone - not even to themselves. They were afraid of what might come out; maybe something good. Happiness seemed foreign and therefore the two concentrated on anything physical, anything real and powerful... emotions can take a hike out back, meanwhile any hard cruel happenings were what they both lived for. Slowly, maybe, Axel's and Larxene's inner possessions were arising, while they both were unaware that they were doing it. But by connecting physically, something at least has to come from that, right? Not only children - but that may have been what tied their destinies (whatever those may be) and eventually pulled out the deeply buried things Larxene and Axel had put away.


	5. Break This Silence

_**Why? You know why.**_

* * *

The scent of sweet shampoo was invading his senses as she hugged him. Marluxia's face pressed into Larxene's hair that tangled with his fingers. He was still shocked - she had come to him. Now. Finally. Why?  
Larxene had not said a word but simply had walked straight up to him and buried her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. He had, without hesitation, put his arms around her also and they each had clung to the other. Marluxia lifted Larxene and her feet dangled, but she did not let go...

Finally he spoke: "Why?"

"You know why."

Her answer made absolutely no sense to him still and he spent the rest of the day thinking about it. As they both lay nude together in bed with her arms around him and sleeping against his side with the sheets pulled up he wondered. Marluxia ran her hair through his fingers and wondered.

_"You know why."_

Did he? Obviously he did not. Maybe she had only said so to shut him up and get him thrown into bed with her, but after all this time, Marluxia had been pretty sure Larxene cared as much for him as a pesky fly. The more bitter their relationship had gotten over time by cause of Larxene's and Axel's child, and now in plural. Marluxia seriously did not know why he had gone willingly with her, gotten lost in her and just forgot for a bit about everything that had happened.

_"You know why."_

Marluxia felt her stir. He weaved a now limp strand of hair which normally bounced up from Larxene's head (which everyone admitted made her look like a bug) through his fingers as she groggily blinked and looked up at him, her cheek still resting on his chest.

Neither said a word. Larxene didn't smile up at him. She didn't kiss him. Marluxia couldn't read what was in her eyes.

_"You know why."_

Why?

He wanted to voice the word, he wanted an explanation. So sudden this gesture of intimacy from Larxene that Marluxia, cunning as he was, was left still trying to wrap his head around it. But he didn't know what to say to break this silence.

Slowly, Larxene pulled herself away from his body, averting her eyes and turning away so he could have a glorifying view of her back. She dressed and disappeared without another word.

_"You know why..."_

Her tongue was tainted - but there was no reason and no way which he would figure that out.

Larxene ran her tongue along her bottom lip, tasting Marluxia on her. Axel would never find out, she promised herself. So absorbed was he in different matters, such as their daughter.

Their daughter... oh yes. She existed. Larxene decided maybe Raye deserved some attention. This castle was so boring, it was fun to have some secrets to keep about it. Now Larxene had one to keep from Raye, and one to keep from everyone but Marluxia and herself. Maybe it would even only be hers for the time being still... Daft was he, flower-boy.

Larxene ventured out into the lounge, where she found Axel and Raye in the same vicinity, mixed with ever-present Saix and Xigbar and Xaldin. This displeased Larxene for some reason, but she confidently strode into the room, heels clicking on the marble floor, coat sweeping behind her footsteps toward the small red-haired girl.  
Raye was just turning to see who was coming forward when her mother snatched her up, cradling her little body to her, and shifting her body so that Raye could be wrapped around Larxene's slim torso, her head cupped and pressed onto Larxene's shoulder where it naturally fit. Raye was surprised but ecstatic. "Mommy!" she exclaimed.

Larxene smiled over Raye's head at Axel, answering, "Hi, baby." It was unclear who she was talking to.

Axel was expressionless and looked away. Larxene pouted out her lower lip. There was no possible way that he could know of her little happening with Marluxia before, so what was his problem? Larxene decided to let it go, and walked away with her babies all together.

Raye happily snuggled up to Larxene as they travelled down the hall to her room. It was so odd, having Raye so close but without a clue that she was such little distance away from her future brother/sister. One day, Raye would know. But not now. It was too soon to say anything anyway.


	6. ragequit

_**Larxene decided she needed to kill some more things...**_

_**"Demyx, I am legitimately going to kill you."**_

* * *

"Don't think you're getting away with it this time," Saix told Larxene levelly, gazing passively at her. Larxene glared back at him, stuck her fists on her hips, and contemplated her arsenal of persuasive complaints which she could use.

"Don't bother," Saix said, reading her mind, as she opened her mouth as well to rebut and make an excuse. Larxene slowly shut her mouth again and set it in a line.

"Fine," she said curtly, glaring at the ground and stiffly dropping her arms to her sides. She wanted to punch him.  
Saix slightly lifted an eyebrow but said no more as Larxene stalked away.

What she had been wondering (more like ordering) was if she must still continue work. Like last time, Larxene had not gone to work and so she was hoping maybe this time would be the same.

Nope.

Larxene was now set out to destroy anything she saw, and left in a portal of darkness to do exactly so.

When she got back, Larxene decided a good book about suffering and general depression was exactly what she needed to read and she headed toward the library. Demyx was sitting at the computer. YouTube was playing...

_"Show me your genitals...your genitals..."_

Larxene stopped in the doorway. Demyx was watching her, snapping his fingers to the beat and swaying his head._ "Show me your genitals, your genitals. Show me your genitals - GENITALIA!"_

Larxene decided she needed to kill some more things.

"Dammit, Demyx!" Axel yelled in outrage at the sitarist, who had gotten that stupid song stuck in his head! Now Axel had found himself unconsciously humming it as he walked down the halls, prepared food, killed heartless, read his magazines... well.(It was a catalogue, let's just say that, you know?)

It was terrible... what if his oh-too-sharp daughter heard him singing it? Besides all else that she had learned and already said, this "Genitals" song was not much worse... but still. Lewd, it was. Demyx should know better, there was a child among them!

Axel frowned in annoyance as the stupid song in his head replayed over and over and over and over and over and over and over -

"_Oh my God_, Demyx!" Axel yelled in frustration. He slammed down his magazine. "I am legitimately going to kill you!"

Axel stormed away into a dark corridor in search of the annoying blonde sitarist.

"Daddy..."

Raye called down the endless hall in search of number eight. She approached his room and peeked in the door. Raye hadn't seem Axel and Larxene together like usual for ages, it seemed... Why not? she wondered. Why weren't daddy and mommy happy (translation: fighting)? Oh well. Raye walked into Axel's room, but found it empty. "Daaaddy!" she called. She sighed.

A book... a magazine? ... caught her eye before she made a move to turn around and leave. Raye, all curious, went to the magazine lying on her daddy's bed which he had forgotten to put away and gazed at it in interest.

Before reaching out to grab it, Raye thought otherwise... she was snooping, wasn't she? Raye looked around and behind her to the slightly open door. She was sneaky enough... _I can get away with this._

Raye turned back to the magazine and, reaching out over the bed, pulled it over to her. It had a lady on it... Raye screwed up her face. This looked like mommy... but she had only seen mommy like this once before by accident when she had gone to the big bath. This lady was wearing no clothes! _At least she covered her no-no parts_, Raye thought, opening the magazine up.

Raye was shocked. _Why are all the ladies in here naked?!_ she thought in confusion. Raye arched her eyebrows downward and peered at the page. _Why does daddy have this?_

That day, Raye learned of female anatomy from a different perspective. Maybe her daddy should be more responsible.

Lewd, it was. Axel should know better, a child was among them!

Raye, in bewilderment and puzzlement, closed the magazine and laid it back out again how it was on the bed before darting away into darkness. Maybe that's why him and mommy weren't happy all the time...

* * *

**Guns don't kill people, uh-uh. **

**I KILL PEOPLE, with guns.**

_**pow**_

**Jon LaJoie is the best**


	7. Axel VS Everyone

_** Partly Axel was happy to be awake. But partly he was not, and that was exactly what Roxas needed to test his theory and prove himself.**_  
_**"What?" the pyro muttered, eyes narrowed in annoyance.**_  
_**Roxas wielded his weapon and got in the battle stance. "I need your help with something," he replied.**_

* * *

As days went on, Raye was still in the shadows according to the matter of her sibling, and everyone wondered whether or not she was ever going to know - until suddenly, the baby would be there. Xemnas understood, as he still did contain some human recollection, that telling your child of another on the way could be very distressing for them. Generally they may get jealous, anxious, or upset. So he said they all had to proceed with caution and when the time was right, then it would be told.

Raye was so confused as to why everybody was being so secretive. She wondered, was it about her? They must be talking about her...

Surely, if they weren't, they all wouldn't be using hushed tones and giving her pitiful, careful glances when they thought she couldn't see. This irritated Raye to no end and made her feel like screaming.

But now, at least, one of the good things was that Larxene was spending much more time with Raye. This eased Raye's mind except that something seemed awry - Axel was never around anymore.

Raye first came to consciously realize this at the oddest of times, one day when she was watching Xion brawl with Roxas. Raye suddenly noticed, where the heck had daddy been? Whenever she was with Larxene, whenever she was not - then still, no Axel. _Dafuq?_

Raye sat there in thought, chin in her hand, wondering what Axel could be doing. A clang sounded and a victory cheer rung out the arena. Raye looked up from her thoughts to see Roxas' keyblade spun away from him as he slumped in defeat while Xion triumphantly pumped her weapon in the air, cheering, "Gotcha again!" Raye saw Roxas sigh and rub his arm as if it were sore. Raye clapped.

"I'm done for today," Xion said happily, radiating smugness. Roxas rolled his eyes and retrieved his keyblade while walking over to Raye and Xion. Xion picked up Raye, and turned back to Roxas. "Play again tomorrow?"

Roxas narrowed his eyes and looked away, biting his cheek. Xion laughed brightly and disappeared holding Raye. Roxas was a very sore loser, and this had been the fifth time in a row he had lost to Xion alone. He didn't know what had come over him. Maybe he just sucked. Maybe she was just awesome. Maybe both.

Roxas decided to test these theories and called for his other best friend, Axel. Roxas went out in search of Axel, simply locating his dwelling in the Castle and calling to him from the darkness. "Hey, Axel," Roxas said, his voice reverberating off the white walls and echoing into the redhead's ears: "Come down to the training room... I want to see something."

Not a few moments later, Axel appeared, frowning and rubbing his neck in annoyance to having been woken up. Previously Axel had been taking a nap out of boredom, so partly he was happy to be awake. But partly he was not, and that was exactly what Roxas needed to test his theory and prove himself.

"What?" the pyro muttered, eyes narrowed in annoyance.

Roxas wielded his weapon and got in the battle stance. "I need your help with something."

* * *

Soft warm soap bubbles puffed up from the steamy hot water in the tub. One figure put their smooth bare leg into this foam and sighed. In went the next leg. The figure sank down into the cozy warm trove and closed their eyes, stretching out and leaning back. Their lips parted, their breath slowed... their body relaxed completely.

Number Twelve lay in the bath, no sound except her breathing and the occasional hushed slosh of water and quiet hissing pop of a bubble. The tranquility lasted for a nice few minutes until she heard and felt the presence of another. Her eyes peeked open at the disturbance.

In walked Number Eleven. He gazed at Larxene in the brimming tub as she stared him down. She self-consciously drew her knees up. "What?" she stated.

The broken barrier of silence was cruel in the white walls, and the sound bounced around. Marluxia started to undress. At this Larxene pouted her lips as if tasting something sour and sunk lower into the bath water. Marluxia climbed in with grace, the trait he always carried, on the opposite end to Larxene. The bath was forbidden to the men, but they both doubted anyone else would be coming in any time soon. Neither said a word, again, only stared at the bubbles around them and enjoyed the feeling from the scalding water.

Finally Larxene spoke. "What are you doing here?"

Marluxia was taking bubble foam into his fists and then transforming them into roses. Larxene observed with a taut face. He answered, "You seem to not be taking a liking to Axel anymore..."

"That's what this is about?"

The words were spoken plainly, dully, without fluctuation or emphasis. Marluxia moved his eyes up to meet hers, which he saw were sharp and angry. A slow smile spread across his lips. Larxene scowled and practically hid under the blanket of suds until Marluxia had engulfed her instead.

* * *

Roxas was thrown to the ground, a thud resonating through the arena and the clatter of the keyblade on the floor loud, again, to his ears. He lay bruised and let down on the floor, and did not (from grief of defeat or exhaustion) lift his head even as his fellow opponent and victor approached him to stand at his head. Axel put a fist on his hip, asking, "I just woke up for this?"

Roxas grit his teeth. There, his theory had been proven. He was weak. What had happened?

Axel sheathed his weapons and yawned and stretched. "Well," he started in mid-yawn, "I suppose I could go back to bed... there's nothing better to do..." His eyes traveled down to the floor again where the young blonde was achingly trying to get up with trouble. "Need a hand?"

"What do you think?" Roxas griped, and grasped the firm hand which gripped his to lift him upright.

Roxas rolled his shoulder and massaged it, frowning like a pouting little boy. Axel laughed. "Even half-asleep I can beat you!" Roxas grumbled something and looked away. Axel _tut-tutted_. "Anyway, where did Xion head off to, with my child?"

It always surprised Roxas still when Axel casually mentioned her. He supposed he should have gotten over it by this point, seeing how it was in Axel's nature whether he knew it or not to be a fathering figure, as he was to Roxas and Xion, and of course, Raye. Roxas couldn't help but envy his friend, in a way - he regarded him with a strange endearment as Axel walked away in search of Raye. Though Roxas still was peeved.

He knew who could most definitely make him feel better. Naminé...

* * *

Back in the bath, most of the bubbles had dissolved and the water sloshed over the side of the tub. Rose petals floated about here and there, while some had sunk to the bottom. Larxene rested her back against Marluxia's stomach, her foot fiddling with his. Her fingers and toes were getting pruny, she noticed while examining her nails.

Marluxia was doing something annoying with her hair. It was wet and mostly droopy now, but he was pinching it or something, so she made noises of irritation and swatted at his hands. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Braiding your hair," he replied. "It's almost possible." Larxene scowled and rolled her eyes. At least he'd stopped. "I think corn rows would work much better with the length," Marluxia continued, but Larxene elbowed him hard in the gut giving the clear message, _Like hell_.

He chuckled softly and brought her head back by taking her chest with his hand. She rested her head on his chest, sighing and picking up his hand daintily by a forefinger.

She looked it over. His hand was much more large than her own - in comparison it was tiny.

"You know that, in your state, you shouldn't be bathing at this temperature," Marluxia murmured. She narrowed her eyebrows, half-ignoring him.

"I've done worse," she replied absentmindedly, still staring at their hands spread out in front of her. She started bending his fingers in different areas. It pleased her a fraction that he just let her do it without complaint.

"Still," he commented, watching with bemused disinterest at her art. She was done, and so now smoothed his fingers out with her own. Larxene turned her head up to look at him upside-down.

"Still," she repeated him, traveling both their hands together first down her chest to investigate her belly and further, "just a baby."

* * *

_**I'm baaack~  
**_

_****_**Even before was done writing the prequel to this story, _Oh Baby_, I had wanted somehow to write a sequel or continuation. There are so many babies to be had!  
**

**( SPOILER ALERT? FORESHADOWING?)  
**

**Anyway, I hope that all of you who have been kind enough with the gorgeous souls of yours to check out the sequel (this) so far, like it! There is more to come but I'm a lazy bum and a busy one at that. Sooo... bear with me. again. :)  
**

**If any of you have requests which you would like to be featured in the story, PM me please to let me know! I never got a PM :'( _tear. sadness. _but yeeeeah! :D (I really love getting requests... js)  
**

**So I am off to work on more of the story! I love feedback & Reviews and all that good shit so you know what to do...  
**

***Actually I am off to the wonderful world of tumblr which I have recently fallen in love with*  
**

***Lavayoubeautifulpeople*  
**

**Bye Bye!  
**

**-jayjay  
**


	8. Roxas and Namine

_**"Roxas found he was delightfully enjoying this newfound thing with Naminé. In bed, no less. He was heavy-lidded and hot, as was she, and both very happy at going a step further."**_

* * *

Roxas and Naminé held each other close. They were beginning to believe that being a "Nobody" was a load of bullshit - of course they were somebody. If apparently "remembering what if felt like" wasn't pretty much the same as feeling it anyway, then what the hell was? Having personality traits and reacting to others' words and/or actions meant having some semblance of emotion and therefore, reality. Never having meant to be? Pfft. Everyone has a right to exist. Although Naminé knew more than Roxas from DiZ and all these other mean people having put thoughts into her head about having no heart, nonetheless she didn't refuse Roxas' embrace (with feeling) and ever rain on his parade with depressing, hollow words that no one needed to hear.

This wasn't the only thing they had recently begun to think about. Recently also they had both begun to feel a bit behind on their relationship (not at all what anyone in the castle would have called it) and that now they technically were almost sixteen - wasn't that a mature enough age to start "experimenting"? And these experiments were none at all such as Vexen's.  
Roxas was shy, and a bit clueless (naturally, having forgotten his memories). Naminé, on the other hand, was confident but not straightforward. She didn't want to pressure Roxas. He was confident enough, though afraid of doing the wrong thing or embarrassing and shaming him self. Naminé always told him it was alright and that he should be allowed to be curious as any human being.

Now, yeah yeah, Roxas and Naminé had been past first base in minor league terms, and somewhat approached second base, only to be tackled and called out. So, the thing was Roxas was a bit shy and didn't want to be forceful, but Naminé, in the smallest part of the back of her mind, wished he would just get on with it already. Maybe, she decided, she should be the one to tackle him.

Lying close together in each other's arms in Roxas' room, all completely happily alone, it was impossible to say neither of the two felt nothing. It wasn't just the exhilaration from pumping blood that slightly pleased them - it was definitely something coming not from memory, not from wishful thinking; something deep within the hearts they were sure they had.  
Naminé grasped Roxas's hand. He took it gratefully, but his perspective changed when she guided it to her side and laid it there. Riddled, but not displeased, Roxas continued melding his mouth with her porcelain skin as she led his hand further up her dress. He felt her legs twitch around his, and in reaction accidentally grabbed her, splaying his fingers. She gasped into his mouth. That sure did something interesting to him.

Snapping his eyes open, blushing profusely, he mumbled, "I'm sorry, Naminé-" and she placed a finger over his lips. He had seen Larxene do this to Axel many, many, many times. Roxas was jealous; he realized it was actually cool.  
Naminé removed her finger from his soft lips and smiled, nuzzling his nose with hers. She slowly slipped a hand up his shirt to feel his heated skin. He sucked in a breath and sighed it out. What to do?

* * *

"Where's Roxy...?"  
Axel wandered the halls. His best friends were actually a relief to be with after a while of dealing with Raye and ...taking care of...Larxene, he found. So of course when the time came that he wanted to hang out with them, both Xion and Roxas were nowhere to be found.

Axel sighed and folded his arms. "Really..." he said to himself, frowning in thought. He glanced up at the sound of heels.  
"Hello, Saix," he greeted his old friend humbly, raising his eyebrows and grinning. Saix set his face as always and did not partake in the other's enthusiasm. "What is it, then?"

Saix answered, "Xemnas wants to see you."

Axel's smile automatically faltered. "Xemnas..? What did I do...?"

Saix paused and looked at him sternly before passing on and said, "Perhaps that's exactly what he wants to know."  
Axel uneasily sat with those words as he listened to Saix walking away, and eventually left to see Xemnas when he heard footsteps no more.

Axel teleported himself to the room where nothing gathers and sat in his designated chair. Xemnas was sitting up at the very top like always, being the Superior, and casually, comfortably leaning back in his chair, resting his head in his hand and gazing at Axel intensely. It made Axel uncomfortable and self-aware, and only made him cross his arms tighter.

Xemnas finally opened his mouth to speak. "What are you doing, Axel?"

Axel was confused by the question and immediately put his guard up. Defensively he asked, "Meaning?"

Xemnas slowly smiled. "Did you ever plan on having so many... offspring?"

Axel resisted a sigh. His eyebrows pushed closer together and he muttered, "Sorry."

Xemnas, surprisingly, laughed. Axel raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes, staring at the Superior as his laughter faded out. _Why is he laughing?_Axel thought, freaking out. Xemnas met Axel's eyes. Some type of amusement was sparkling in his golden eyes, but that made Axel suspicious.

"Are you happy or something?" Axel demanded in a manner which was very inappropriate for your superior. Xemnas chuckled deeply again, making Axel frown even more. _What the fuck is his problem?!_

"Axel," Xemnas started, "I never intended for any of you to start doing things and result in infants..." he said. "But I find it rather interesting that it is so. Even more interesting how Raye interacts, you with her...with everyone. In a way I thank you... although," his tone got darker, "Now you decide to think it's alright to carry on with whatever it is."

Xemnas was being so confusing right now Axel was sure he must have been dreaming. He blinked up at his superior, sitting there glowering down at him. Axel narrowed his eyes. You're shitting me, right... "Xemnas... what are you trying to introduce here?"

Xemnas inhaled deeply before answering. "I am trying to say, number eight... that you are doing very interesting and strange things to this organization."

He let Axel sit with that before dismissing him. Axel frowningly pondered their little discussion all the rest of the evening, not letting it go. Interesting things...?

* * *

Roxas found he was delightfully enjoying this newfound thing with Naminé. In bed, no less. He was heavy-lidded and hot, as was she, and both very happy at going a step further. Whoopdee-doo, his shirt was off.

* * *

**I never intend to make this stuff dark... ish... it just ends up that way. THATS WHY I NEED YUR HELP GUYSSS/ I NEEED IDEAAASS**

**i mean i have ideas  
**

**i just need... you knowww.. more.  
**

**yeah/  
**

**Thanks for you did...! You're all beauutttiful 3  
**

**-jayjay**


	9. Hint Hint

**Roxas and**** Namine didn't have sex, guys. 2nd base minor league (Y)**_  
_

__**;**

* * *

_Axel noticed Larxene had become so much more solitary. He eyed her absently, maybe subconsciously, just watching when she rarely showed up how the hood of her coat was up every time, like Xion on a bad day. Watched how she never said a word unless needed, kept her head down and then left as quickly as possible to go sulk in her room._

_He supposed he could have said something to her - but he was just as mad as she was. Larxene hadn't exactly been polite or conversational either lately since their "spat". If it came to it, the only talking would be done in shouting and then probably cries of irritation mingled with pleasure mixed with shame in themselves and also anger towards the other, and that would be the end of it._

_So, Axel wasn't the most enthusiastic to approach her, and so examined from afar. That didn't count as interaction._  
_Nobody else was happy about it either, for various reasons... especially the Superior. Axel and Larxene both knew this, very well actually. Saix shared Xemnas' disapproval with sour glances and pursed lips, and generally others had not known or simply forgotten. Larxene and Axel understood it was only physical - only that._

_They actually were sick of the other. Axel could hardly stand her; Larxene barely stomached the look of his face and so decided to upgrade (in her book). When found none were as sufficient as the redhead fire wielder, she happily and disdainfully returned to him, all bouncy and determined. Axel didn't mind, actually; he knew what was in it for him. And Larxene, neither - and so, deep inside of them, they managed to push away the thoughts of "here she comes again," and "ah, man-whore's back," and such and only turned them into "lookie who decided to pop in," and "this is just what I need in the middle of the night."_

_Soon, the rest of the organization handled this arrangement of theirs, though it seemed a rivalry of sorts was ensuing between number eight and eleven. No one did mind their business, as what else could they entertain themselves in? And then, voila, what had to happen?_

_"Babies scream and poop and poop and cry, and cry and poop... and scream..."_

_Clearly, someone was unhappy to have this child. More than one someone as well._  
_Axel eventually found himself enjoying, though (as he could) the new arrival - his new arrival, he was pretty certain. What had changed? Gone from only physical to only physically and friendly and then to... what? Romantic? he always taunted himself. No. If anything, it must be somewhat sentimental or whatever. Axel tried not to over think it too much. That always made his brain explode into rainbow colours._

_But a baby... that should tie, no matter what, someone to their other, the creators to the creation, right?_

* * *

__**Just a flashback. lalala  
**


	10. Hormonal

_**I hate this motherfucking Castle**_

* * *

There are things in the Organization called journals. Each member has one, and in it, they are free to write whatever they please inside of it and no one - not even Xemnas - will look at it. It is completely personal and completely private. Generally someone would put inside of it casual updates about how work is going - or about other members. Anything, really, it doesn't matter, because no one will ever see it but them.

Axel kept his journal stuffed in between the mattresses of his bed, which, coincidentally, is the exact spot Larxene put it as well (and Xion and Demyx and Xigbar). It may seem odd, having to hide it, something that no one would ever touch; but that's the thing: if someone ever came across it, they probably would. So it's actually a very safe idea to hide the journals.

Axel now lay on his bed, glaring out the window and suddenly had the urge to write loose his angers and stuck his hand between the mattress and rummaged around a bit. He rummaged around some more. "Where the fuck is it?" he muttered under his breath. He had to lean over and lift up the mattress and finally saw the damn thing and tore it out. He huffed and rolled his eyes as he plopped back down against his pillows and flipped open the pages. He sifted through the many many entries, trying not to read them all on his way to a blank sheet. Just as he had clicked the pen and settled the book on his propped up leg he heard a voice, "Axel?"

Axel resisted the urge to run the book through with the pen. "Yes?" he accentuated the word with venom.

Saix was outside the door. God dammit! Why had he left it open?!

"Did you speak with Xemnas?" Saix said.

"Go away," Axel said. Saix shrugged in assent and headed off and Axel began writing.

Well, that's what happened in Axel's mind. In reality, he replied, "Yes, it was just pleasant. We chatted about the end of the world over tea and biscuits." He started writing the first words as he said this. _Saix won't leave me alone_

"Don't be smart, Axel," Saix snapped. Axel widened his eyes briefly and kept jabbing out ink. _I hate this motherfucking castle_

"Yes, mom," he said back, and rubbed a hand across his face as he realized what he had put down so far was definitely not what he had planned on writing.

"Axel, if you had listened at all to what Xemnas had told you I assure you would not be acting this way," Saix warned.

Axel rolled his eyes again. "What are you gonna do, spank me?" he asked.

Just then Saix swung open the door and threateningly glared at Axel through the doorway. For a second Axel legitimately thought Saix was going to take him up on his offer and jumped a little, stuffing away his journal so Saix wouldn't see. Saix's eyes narrowed even more. "Watch your attitude," he seethed, and backed out again. Axel mimed him snidely and hunched down to try and finish what he'd started, in peace.

He started:

_So for some reason everyone is turning against me (not the first time). Saix is evidently pissed with me, Roxas wants me to beat him up, Raye thinks I hate her, Larx won't sleep with me or talk with me since she has Marluxia for_

A knock came on his door. He slammed the book down. "_What_?" he cried.

It was Roxas. He said cautiously, "Is it safe to...?" Axel snapped "Yes." Roxas let himself in and saw his friend's expression. "Oh. Um..." Axel was about to rip his own eyeballs out and eat them so he hoped Roxas would get to the point quickly. "I was just wondering if you would like to... go out..."

Axel lifted the journal in full view and waved it twice with a pleasant smile. Roxas nodded and snapped his fingers. "Okay. Bye."

Axel clenched his hand in a fist and tried to resist the flames he wanted to launch at his friend's head and turned back to his writing.

_In other words the weather was really good today. And by that I mean you know it rained again._

Axel stayed staring through his knees at the far wall for like, an hour.  
Finally he put down, "IDGAF" and dropped everything on the floor and rolled into a ball.

A bit later, he supposed he must have fallen asleep since the sky was darker, as it got in the evenings in the world that never was, if dark could get any darker, and he was more relaxed and kind of sprawled out and ruffled and generally drowsy. He heard the sound of shuffling fabric (much shuffling) and the pitter patter of little feet, heading for him. He squeezed one green eye open and groaned when the small form landed on him. Giggling, Raye tugged on his hood so she could hide under it even though with all the extra room in her own coat she could have disappeared into that herself. She was kicking his back a lot and greeting him happily, although he certainly wasn't very pleased about the rude awakening. She reached a hand out and pulled his ear, not very hard though, and said, "Wake up."

Axel groaned again, sighing and rolling over away from her. He hid his face in his arms, and Raye squealed at her hiding place under his hood being taken away. She rolled after him to lie against his side, curling up and resting the top of her head against his shoulder. She got settled in and quickly fell asleep.

Eventually, he forgot she was there when he dozed again. He had no way of knowing the time, but didn't care either. He fell asleep with Raye beside him, her small hot body breathing shallowly. The rain started to pour harder (grace of Demyx) and made shadows on the walls and the bed sheets. The moon illuminated everything a pale blue.

* * *

Downstairs, Demyx was quietly (FOR ONCE) playing his sitar in a chair near Zexion and Saix. The rain was pouring from Demyx's song, but nobody needed to know that. Secretly he was pleased by his accomplishment and smiled to himself more than once. Saix was looking through that day's mission reports and Zexion was reading some psychological scientific book or another. They had shared tea (which Saix actually liked this time) and had a small lamp on in the library. They were of the few who were awake at this time of night.

Surprisingly, it may have been the only time in Saix's days that he enjoyed company and the soft strumming of sitar strings. He could hear each individual pluck Demyx's fingers made, and Zexion was keeping quiet and made no sound when he drank his tea. But he couldn't help but look disdainfully at Demyx once he had read his report.  
Saix shook his head at the boy and put it away.

Larxene was walking down the hall and had seen the light that was on in the residence of their trio. She poked her head in the door, causing all three to look up (Demyx a little later, after the fact) and she headed back out. Saix and Zexion exchanged looks but kept on with their business.

Larxene was looking for Raye, but had no idea where she could have headed off to since she knew Raye wouldn't have headed off outside, and she had checked all the places she knew that were susceptible. Why does the castle have to be so damn huge, she thought to herself. Think. Where is she sleeping? Certainly not in her room, or Larxene's own room. And she would have no pretense to bother anybody else... except...

Larxene snapped her fingers and teleported away. She figured it out, probably. Peeking her head in the doorway to Axel's room, she saw illuminated figures lying together on the bed. One was obviously Axel, sprawled out in every direction, obviously having turned over again in his sleep to protectively curl his arm around Raye at his side, now comforted by her father's warmth which she very much appreciated since he was warmer than a normal person (to say the least). Larxene couldn't stop the frown that formed on her face when she saw that Raye had already been hogged even though, inside, she wanted to smile wistfully. Larxene took a step into the room, not knowing what to do.

She realized her hand was reaching out unconsciously and her face was getting hot so she turned away quickly, not bothering to close the door and headed off to Marluxia's room. He didn't understand why she was so upset or needy and she didn't know whether seeing him made things worse or better or why it felt like a hot hand was gripping her throat like a vise, choking.

* * *

**You think i'm just as serious, **

**i think you're full of shit!  
**

**my head is spinnning soo  
**

**blow me one last kiss~  
**

**i can just totally picture a marluxia/larxene moment like that..  
**

**please, reviews? i want to make sure nobody hates the story. :o  
**


	11. Amends

_**She shivered, but the truth was, her body was hot.**_

* * *

Slithering out of bed to crawl over to the toilet and vomit at 2:30 in the morning isn't the most pleasant experience for anyone. Even the most evil of us don't deserve it. The Savage Nymph oh so joyfully endured it that early time of day when she had previously been in the warmth of company and bed sheets to the cold floor of the bathroom and the sickening feeling of not being able to breathe while upbringing the fluids that may be lingering in her stomach to dredge up. With a bitter taste in her mouth, literally, Larxene spat again into the bowl and flushed angrily. "God damn you, Axel," she hissed breathlessly.

She got up and clicked the light on, squinting in the sudden illumination. Her reflection was horrid - her eyes looked exactly as if she had just woken up unpleasantly, there was some type of fluid in the corner of her mouth and her hair... well. She bared her teeth at herself and started brushing her teeth with much toothpaste. While she was doing so, she glanced at Marluxia fast asleep over on the bed where the sheets were tossed here and there and tangled around his torso. She saw one foot sticking out (gracefully, even in sleep - how the hell can you be gracefully sleeping?) and his face was away from her but she had a fair view of his chest, where his one arm lay across. His other arm was thrown over his head. Larxene laughed once dully to herself. She hadn't even woken him. When this happened with Axel, he had always woken up with a start. That was the case with everything, really... Apparently a heavy sleeper, but in truth the smallest tap would rouse him. Not like he had any trouble sleeping, just when you moved or spoke or whatever...

Larxene slammed her hand down onto the sink. Why was she thinking about Axel, when she had been to bed with Marluxia? Why had she even woken up next to Marluxia in the first place? Why was he there? Because this is his room, Larxene's conscience (if she had one) muttered to her. Larxene stared at the toothbrush. Oops.

Not like it mattered, but Larxene frantically washed her mouth out and then scrubbed her face really well. She attempted for a lame reason to tidy up her hair, which ended looking semi-decent, and then looked back at Marluxia. He had turned in his sleep. Larxene sighed and shut the light off and was immersed in darkness until her eyes focused again. Blinking continuously, Larxene tapped towards the bed, feet almost dragging. It was an effort to lift one foot, then the other. Eventually she made it to the bed and slowly slipped in, just placing a thin sheet on top of her. She shivered, but the truth was, her body was hot.

* * *

Later in the morning, still pouring rain and dreary, Axel woke up and found Raye peacefully asleep beside him. He looked at her in puzzlement and then, stretching as he looked behind him and over on the floor, saw his discarded journal. He picked it up to place it discreetly in its hiding place (along with his emergency "magazines") before pecking Raye's teardrop and heading off to get ready for the morning.

Once he got out of the shower he saw that Raye was just waking up, and quickly put half decent clothes on to carry her to the kitchen. It was still dark there as not much morning light like that got into the room and barely anyone was up. Axel set Raye on his hip where she drooped there, half-clinging and rubbing one eye. He one-handedly got some food ready for her, not to mention half-assed. Although his long sleep, he was still half-awake, too.

Raye yawned as she was placed onto the island's marble counter and Axel put together a hard boiled egg and basically juice. He rubbed his own eyes as he set her onto a proper seat and leaned against the counter. Raye lay her head down.

"Eat, Raye," he mumbled and folded his arms. She said, "Hhhmmmm." He reached over and lifted her head by a ponytail to which she protested. "Eat."

Raye turned around to give him the evil eye, which scarily made her look like Larxene, and Axel gave the look right back at her. Raye was already busy picking up the egg to smash it.

Axel, satisfied enough, searched the fridge himself. He found leftover pizza from god knows when and took it out to eat it cold.

Demyx came in soon after. This, now, was a surprise, since generally no one ever saw of Demyx until mid-afternoon till later unless Saïx dragged him out of bed by the ear. Axel was shocked - he must still he dreaming. He blinked many times at the blonde, who was lively and awake. "Sup?"

Axel blinked again as Demyx headed past Raye to ruffle her hair and say, "Hey, kiddo." He was heading straight for the coffee machine. "What's up?" Axel repeated. "Why the hell are you awake?"

Demyx's coat was unzipped, but Axel didn't think it made a difference since he had no top on at all. Demyx's eyes were alight. "All-nighter, bud. I did it and now I'm hyper-alert. It's awesome." He said this enthusiastically as he started making coffee. Axel's eyebrows were creasing together as he slowly chewed the pizza. "We should all do it one day - besides new year's. For fun."

"Fun," Axel muttered, nodding. He shrugged.

"What's an all-nighter, daddy?" Raye asked as she demolished the egg. She hadn't just peeled off the shell. Axel sighed at the sight.

"What's it sound like?" he replied, flicking a crumb at her. She tossed eggshell back.

"It sounds like something sexual," she answered, and Demyx giggled. Yes, giggling was something Demyx did. Axel rolled his eyes with amusement and continued eating.

Saïx walked in. "Well, well," he murmured at the sight of Demyx. "How on earth did this one wake from the dead?"

"He didn't," Axel answered, before Demyx could. "He didn't sleep."

"He had an all-nighter," Raye proudly pronounced, to which caused Saïx to give a look of disapproval to number nine. Demyx shrugged with mirth.

Saïx decided then to turn to glower at Axel, who gulped his bite of food fearfully. Saïx said, "And have you woken up on the right side of the bed this morning?"

Axel nodded vehemently.

"Good."

Raye was glancing between Saïx and Axel but looked back down at the crushed bits of egg once Saïx looked down at her. He had stood threateningly behind her stool and casually placed his hands on either side of her on the counter like bars. She sipped her juice obediently.

"Ahh," Demyx sighed, as he had just taken a sip of black coffee and was inhaling the steamy fragrance from his mug underneath his nose. "Nothing beats coffee in the morning."

"Demyx, you never drink coffee," Axel said to him in concern. "Are you really okay?"

Demyx walked over to the counter to slide in a seat beside his bud Axel, all the while giving him a What are you talking about look. "Just eat your pizza," he soothed and patted Axel on the back. Axel continued frowning.

"Yeah, dad, eat your pizza," Raye chastised, and got a flick on the side of the head from Saïx. "Gah!"

"I hope you clean that up," Saïx mentioned to Raye, heading away in search of noms. Raye rolled her eyes.

Next one in was Larxene. Axel tensed at the sight of her, approaching all hunter-like, tossing curves and knives and smiles, one of which was directed at him - a smile, I mean. Her eyes glittered.

She slid over to the seat on the other side of Axel. She leaned over and gave him a long, intimate kiss which probably should have been somewhere else than in the company of others. He was surprised. As she trailed a treacherous finger down from his belly to his pant leg his body hummed with pleasure; Why the good mood? Raye onlooked with quiet satisfaction. She watched with her head in her hand, smiling as if with pride and a look of Mission Accomplished. When Larxene finally turned her way, snaking her hand up to the table to reach for Axel's, she smiled and said, "Hello, baby."

Saïx was disdainfully frowning, as if there were much better places he could be than this, and Demyx obnoxiously gulped his coffee. Axel was pleased, though, in a weird way, and gazed at Larxene with suspicion and curiosity through low lids. He would have to discuss this with her later, he knew. Maybe in his room.

* * *

**Something Funny Happened on the Way to Kingdom Hearts...**

**you must watch all three videos because they funnyyyy. hehehe they make me happy.**

**kingdom hearts in general makes me happy...**

**it gives me happss..**

**PS why does nobody ship larxel just tell me that i mean its larxel my OTP**

**so ship it y'allll.**

**:) byeee! hope you liked cette chapitre!**


	12. Frieda Krueger

_**Company is nice, even if it is in the sounds of death.**_

_**C:  
**_

_**;  
**_

* * *

Marluxia woke to an empty bed. He figured Larxene had either left early or hadn't slept at all (being the latter), but when he ventured out to the motley crew downstairs he found her and Axel getting all cozy. He was obviously loud when he banged around everywhere, displeased, confused and frustrated at her hopping from bed to bed all the time. Larxene didn't meet his eye and they basically ignored each other while Axel smugly held his prize, not bothering to cover it up.

Saïx had to split them up somehow before it got out of hand and fights broke out. He sent Axel off on a mission with Xion, and made Larxene pair with Xaldin. He made Marluxia focus on killing a big ass heartless down in Agrabah. Marluxia hated Agrabah.

Once most people were off doing whatever mission they had been deployed with, the Castle got quiet for generally around ten hours depending on when everyone got back. Raye was not being sent off on missions, although she was being trained since her weapon could be useful for something. Xemnas kept to himself although when the castle was empty during the day he enjoyed being out and about more. Of course, not every member was always working every day - some had a free, you could say, and they always were grateful even though Saïx was unhappy since that meant they would have to be around him.

Larxene always had to go out in partners now, since before she wouldn't go out at all, and now that she did it was a better idea to not be working alone. Larxene complained on the outside about having to be stuck with someone or other and claiming she was strong enough to tough it out on her own, but on the inside, she was pleased as she pretended to be weak and let them do most of the work.

Back in the Castle, Demyx, Naminé and Raye were all together in the lounge, sitting around the TV set and watching random movies all day. Raye was freaking out because Demyx wanted to watch scary movies and Demyx was complaining that all Naminé liked were romances. Luxord was loitering about and so was Zexion, and the card master walked in on their bickering. "I don't want to watch any fucking Jane Austen or anything with Kate Winslet," Demyx was currently saying, and Raye cried out "And I don't want to watch any fucking chainsaw massacres or Saw movies!"

Luxord cocked an eyebrow, taking a seat opposite them all on the couch, and asking, "Don't you honestly have anything better to do?"

They simultaneously sent him the death glare, so he backed off. He was about to suggest a movie about gangs and business and thrilling things like that but decided against it.

"Come on, Demyx - what's wrong with one drama?" Naminé was trying to convince him.

"They're depressing," Demyx answered her. "If anything we need comedic material or bloody awesome gore."

"Nooo!" Raye screeched, beating on him. "I'll cry if you choose a scary movie!"

Demyx conceded, if only to not make her actually cry. "Fine, fine, Raye," he allowed. "We'll watch a cute baby movie, just like you."

That only made Raye cry - actually. She pounded on his arm and yelled at him for no reason while Naminé tried to pull her away. Luxord observed quietly and bemusedly.

Saïx was starting to look like he was ready to loose the Dusks on them. Zexion wandered in, carrying a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird. The commotion was annoying, and he too was almost deciding which was the best way to shut them all up. Was it ever possible to have some peace and quiet in this castle?

"We're watching Hostel 2 and that's that," Demyx commanded, choosing the movie. Raye's fit turned out of hand, and Naminé tried to shush her though the urge to have a tantrum was kind of compelling. Demyx, satisfied, settled in on the couch and Luxord beside him got comfortable too - might as well. Demyx was unsuspecting, and Raye sacked him.

Naminé burst out with laughter - she couldn't help it - and Luxord snorted, smiling. Demyx was scrunched up, whimpering (Raye dealt a good blow) and Raye herself was crossly sitting, steam practically fuming out her ears. She didn't want to watch Hostel 2.

Saïx thought it good to hide away for a while until the movie was done, and Zexion slunk away, now knowing that the grey area was not the place to be.

Raye fell asleep very soon after the movie started, (as the beginning was so very dull) and Naminé was glad she had - these images were not for a child's eyes. Naminé had a hand over her mouth while Demyx and Luxord were intrigued. Naminé wasn't sure she had seen Demyx blink once since the movie had begun.

Saïx glanced up as a portal of darkness was opened and out from it sauntered Axel and Xion. Xion was giggling about something, and Axel was smiling along with her, pushing her shoulder playfully. Saïx looked back down in disinterest and tried to block out the screams from the TV. He thought, Maybe the TV should be moved to a different room...

Axel and Xion made their way towards the group watching the grotesque torture, and Xion continued giggling to herself meanwhile –

"Woah, she just cut his dick off!" Axel exclaimed, looking with wide, intrigued eyes at the screen while Demyx chuckled and Naminé made a sound of distaste. Saïx turned around to look, frowning with disgust at the strange picture.

Xion and Naminé obviously ignored each other, and Axel poked each of them on their foreheads. The two girls made annoyed sounds at him, and proudly he grinned, moving his way around Naminé to pick up Raye, still sleeping between Demyx and Naminé. Demyx started complaining that he was in his way, and Axel made a point of standing directly in front of him. The louder Demyx talked, it made Raye wake up.

"Calm down, Demyx," Xion told him, standing behind him and leaning her arms on his head.

"I don't think your life will be tremendously affected by not seeing a man's penis get thrown to the floor," Axel agreed, tugging Raye's hood quickly over her head so she couldn't see.

"Is this movie almost done?" Naminé wondered.

Another dark portal opened and in walked Xaldin and Larxene. "Ah, torture!" Larxene immediately exclaimed and rushed to plunk down next to Naminé and Demyx. "When is it getting to the good parts?"

"Sadly, they're over," Luxord answered sarcastically, and her face fell in disappointment.

"We'll pick another movie then," she said, "after this one."

"What is the most gruesome movie you can think of?" Demyx asked her in general but got more than one answer.

"I have to pick?" was Larxene's reply, and Xion piped up, "Out of the few I've seen, probably The Hitcher."

"Nahh," Larxene objected.

"Last House on the Left," Naminé suggested quietly.

"I always liked the Nightmare on Elm Street movies," Larxene said.

Axel answered, "Why? Because you're Frieda Krueger?"

"Fuck you," said Larxene.

"I like those, too," Luxord agreed.

Demyx was saying, "Texas Chainsaw? Anybody?"

"That's just disturbing." Xion shuddered.

"I know what's disturbing," Naminé muttered to herself.

Axel finally said, "Is it strange that I actually liked the Saw movies?"

"It's what I look for in a man," Larxene said strongly, and Xion and Naminé started laughing.

"What now?" Demyx asked everyone. He was of course talking about the movie.

"Let me pick!" Larxene cried, grabbing for the remote, and it became another struggle between her and the sitarist. The noise was annoying Raye again and she squirmed and made sounds of annoyance.

"We should stay up all night and watch movies," Demyx clearly announced, realizing after he did that he was in the presence of Saïx, who swiveled his head and stared him down. "Some other time!" Demyx hastily added.

"Just as long as you get some work done around here," Saïx grumbled.

Larxene, in Demyx's panic, had taken the opportunity to snatch the remote and had picked a movie already. Xion had gotten comfortable sitting with her knees drawn up at the foot of the couch near Demyx ro watch, and Naminé sighed once she saw the movie that was on (Dawn of the Dead). Naminé got up and bid a quiet goodnight, as she was not a fan of horror movies.

Axel took this chance at the empty seat to sit down; Raye shifted in his lap so she could see the movie. Axel had an eyebrow raised at Larxene's choice of entertainment. "Why?" he asked.

"The gore," Demyx replied.

"The blood," Luxord supplied.

"The beauty," Larxene said.

Axel rolled his eyes. Xion smiled.

The movie started off with a bang - or more like with a bite. Raye was watching with wide eyes and rapt as Larxene blasted the surround sound volume, trying to be absorbed into the horror. Saïx was the one who had to turn it down. Luxord greeted Xigbar and Zexion as they turned up once again, curious at the noise. Larxene demanded for food, sending Xigbar off, and Zexion sat in a chair anyway across the room, deciding company was nice even if it was in the sounds of death.

Raye started to wail about the movie since it was scaring her. Luxord suggested she not be there, and Saïx agreed, so Axel happily handed Raye over to him. There was this murmur of chuckles as he stood there, unamused with the crying kid. Eventually, after glaring at Axel for a bit, where he had now snuggled down on the couch more comfortably with his head in Larxene's lap, he left off. Demyx was laughing at him, he knew.

* * *

**Such major mind-blank... it ended abruptly**

**please...before i die... does anyone want a request to make this shit story better ... ?  
**

**bye...  
**

**:C  
**

**ps; my friends and i are having rage debates about soriku and sokai, and donald/daisy/sora ot3. TELL EM! TELL EM SORA AND KAIRI ARE MEANT TO BEEE!  
**


	13. Overkill

**Btw... this story will make much more sense if you read the first story. this is a sequel, folks.. c;**

**my apologies for this chapter being short and boring as fuck, i have shit for ideas at the moment. i cry out to you in a desperate plea that if anyone has larxel fantasies they want brought to life,,...i can put em here. **

**i mean, this has a story; I'm just trying to fill it in up to the point where i can fcking GET ON WITH IT  
**

**FUCK  
**

**MY  
**

**LIFE  
**

**;  
**

* * *

That night Raye had her first nightmare. She woke up and started screaming and crying and someone had to go in and shush her, half-awake and stumbling. She wouldn't go back to bed and continued shrieking in terror that there were gonna be evil bloody men banging on the window to try and kill her. Everyone knew why. It was all those horror movies she had witnessed earlier. But whatever. They would make her quiet if they had to gag her.

It was everyone's fault who had stayed up till who knows when watching movies, and gone to be late, late. They would be tired in the morning (rather, later that day) to go off and work hard, and it was their own fault. Demyx regretted nothing, of course. Roxas and Xion were the ones being made to work the hardest. Poor them.

Xemnas wanted more and more hearts, greedy bastard, and all the two keyblade wielders both wanted was sleep. Naminé rarely got a spare moment for simple quality time with Rox, and Xion and her two best friends barely were able to manage seeing each other daily to eat a cold treat together. Axel, too, was working a lot and he didn't like work. Basically everyone was on overkill at the Castle.

Lucky Naminé, she had nothing better to do than draw and paint and sketch and make whatever kind of artwork with her free precious time, all the while waiting for one of the members of the organization return so she could converse with. Now that she had been living with them for the past while, she found they weren't so bad; at least tolerable. Naminé was Raye's best friend during the time everyone else was away, and they bonded and clicked together perfectly and easily - just like Raye and Xion.

Vexen was actually one of the few who was at the Castle most of the time, besides Xemnas, Saïx, Naminé and Raye (and Moogle!). He was making concoctions and strange things which definitely should be kept in his lab. He kept to himself a lot and some people had temporarily forgotten about him.

Xemnas was unseen, unknown but not sealed from the looming certainty of everyone's minds that he was still there; they preferred above all to not think about him, but knew they couldn't pretend he didn't exist. The only person who broke this rule was Demyx, and of course Raye, who didn't know better.  
The senior members of the organization were allowed less time out, more time off, except for Axel who complained with the fact that he was a senior member, too, since he had been there as long as, say, Xaldin or Lexaeus or Xigbar. But still, it was annoying to have so much work...

Raye was being trained to fight, using her axe with a wide range to obviously only have the use to kill Heartless. She could barely lift the thing, and some were surprised she had even acquired a weapon so early on. Why? Why would she need it at this point? But no one dwelled on it for longer than necessary, although Raye was the one who interested them the most.

Larxene regained her familiar bitchy atmosphere, not really having changed. Everyone was still tired of her mocking laughter ringing around the halls, the snide remarks darting in and out of corridors of darkness; at times some of them felt like chucking her off the building floating in the sky, if that would help at all... at least it would feel good.

But it was strange... it was Axel who noticed she no longer had sickness or acute irritation anymore, and she was not so far along. In response she glared at him and said, "You can find out how acute my senses are if you want!" and flashed her daggers out in warning. He backed off of that subject.

Xemnas decided to not care about "Nobody breeding" and concentrated on what he thought of as more important matters. The organization was getting very bored and rowdy, trying to find new things to do to entertain themselves, as it was hard to do but easy to accomplish. Demyx mostly was the source of comedy and the younger ones (i.e Roxas, Xion, Naminé and Raye) too. They seemed to be the only thing keeping this Organization alive, holding it up so the rest of them would not kill each other and go ballistic.


	14. Look Back

_"Your skin has changed colour," he murmured, stroking it. She hummed. "Has it, now," she replied._

_He ran his nose along her bare shoulder, inhaling. "It's darker in your face."_

_She broke a smile in the darkness. "Oh, there is a reason for that."_

_He nipped at her skin. "Not that," he muttered._

_Larxene toyed with the long red hair which was displayed all along the pillow. Examining a lock in between her fingers, she arched her eyebrows and said, "I know what you mean" irritably. "It's..."_

_He answered her question by trailing a gloved hand down to the soft, warm exposed skin of her belly and pressed lightly against it. Larxene gritted her teeth and he whispered, "This?"_

_Larxene brought his chin up with her hand and their gazes locked. She bit her lip and finally told him, "Stop being so god damn smug." He slowly grinned._

* * *

_It was good and bad, it was interesting and horrifying, depending how you looked at it. Larxene chose bad and horrifying. Being fat, being uncomfortable, being sick, being achey, being swollen, being fat, being hungry, being sick, being fat, being pregnant..._

_Nowadays Larxene didn't write girlish things in her journal; she just continuously wrote "fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck " etc until she was satisfied, filling several pages at a time until, well, usually she fell asleep or got fed up and screamed and threw the journal at the wall._

_Nowadays Larxene beat up Axel more often. She made a point of loathing him for what he had done to her, though as he had mentioned, it was partly her fault. She denied it._

_Marluxia wasn't getting any lately... he hadn't been anyway, since the Savage Nymph had hopped into Axel's bed and made a nest there. Larxene said it was because Axel's bed was warm, and that's why she stayed with him. Yes, they sure fell for that. Of course..._

_She strangely still did even though she was upset with him. But Axel didn't mind. Larxene had made a taboo to even mention the word "sex" while she was carrying, but soon the taboo was broken and, well, her little vow was too. She obviously couldn't go too long without "it" and she loved the "big O", so in the end, she didn't mind either. Fuck promises, she would think as her underwear was flung off somewhere._

_Life could be almost back to normal, in the Organization, if it weren't for the constant mention of baby and baby things, or other words like "infant", "child" and "fetus." Xion hardly helped, constantly freaking out with Demyx about the to-be new arrival, and Zexion and Vexen being engrossed with their research and "experiments" which Vexen had hoped to fulfill..._

_Life could almost be back to normal, if it wasn't for the, you know, baby._

* * *

**short**

**flashback  
**


	15. Cold

_**He was slightly aware that he did still have a body, which was intact (he hoped) and so looked down to check, aware since he could no longer feel it.**_

* * *

That morning it was cold. Unusually cold, as in really chilly cold, and not one of them liked it. Well, except Vexen.

The Castle was almost stagnant with the unamused air of the members and the atmospheric temperature. The thermometer read 20 degrees Celsius; but it felt more like -14.

Everyone bundled up, for their cloaks were rather biting when faced with the cold and the fabric clung to their skin, making it rather unpleasant. Luxord yelled at Axel to just get him to make the place toasty warm, but the fire wielder preferred to snuggle in bed and stay warm all by himself much to the others' annoyance.

Hardly anyone was seen, and so Xemnas and Saïx deemed it hopeless to even try and go get them to come out and do some work, unless they wanted to be overrun by cold and angry Nobodies. But it wasn't seen as exactly a vacation either, because no one was even trying very hard to do anything.

Roxas sat stiff and freezing, wrapped in amounts of blankets and still his teeth were chattering. He thought he might have to move into Axel's room. Xion was much the same, rigid and shivering and just the thought of ice cream made her cringe in horror. Naminé didn't have the will to move to Roxas' room as she was taking the longest shower in human history, draining the hot water tank in the process and making some people VERY angry.  
Xaldin, Xigbar and Luxord attained to amuse themselves by playing a hand of cards, though it was difficult as it felt like their joints were freezing over. Saïx eventually attempted joining them but then he made coffee and they all attacked the pot of steamy brew and burned themselves but could care less cause it was WARM! Xemnas was hiding away in some chilly abode probably in the lowest parts of the Castle, all alone. Vexen was basking in delight at the frosty temperatures and getting to work on new evil concoctions. Zexion tried to settle in reading a book but could hardly concentrate on anything because ... his toes... they were frozen...

Raye luckily was allowed to be sleeping between Axel and Larxene and that wasn't too bad. Axel was complaining about freezing cold feet and hands, and well, everything, meanwhile they sighed about his skin's warmth, and he sighed too, but for a different reason.

Demyx was maybe the least happy of them all, being the water element, and he dared not bring out dear Arpeggio, his sitar, in fear that she would turn into a musically tuned popsicle stick.

Everyone stayed in bed that day.

"Take out those heated tables or something!" exclaimed Xigbar. "It's fucking cold in this god forsaken fortress!" He had wrapped himself in a wool blanket, and continuously made coffee to keep warm.

Beside him, desperately trying to play cards with himself, Luxord grumbled, "I think I just saw my breath." He exhaled as an experiment. "Almost. Did you see that?"

Xaldin was hunched up in himself, trying to man out the cold; but he still said, "I can't feel my toes."

"Why is it so COLD?!" Xigbar yelled. "This thing's lying!" He grabbed the thermometer and threw it on the table for display. Xaldin and Luxord contemplated its reading of 19 degrees celsius. "Did the heating die!" he asked no one. "Did Vexen have an orgasm?"

Luxord had to scoff at that. Xigbar did not laugh at his own joke and only tugged the blanket around his shoulders tighter, snatching up his coffee mug and mumbling expletives all the while.

Saïx came back to refill. As he poured black coffee, he rubbed his eyes, and scanned the small group at the counter in the kitchen trying to amuse themselves. Xigbar looked up, irritated. "Hey, you old grouch," he called to Saïx (although Xigbar was older than him) who looked up with a frown. "What the hell is going on with our heating system?"

Saïx shrugged and said, "Oh, Xemnas forgot to pay our monthly heating bill, and soon the electricity will probably go out as well." He took a sip of coffee.

Xigbar slitted his eye. "Ha ha, Saïx," he said, straining the name in a suggestive way. Saïx only raised his eyebrows at him, as if to say, Do you really think that will spur me on?

It surprised everyone in the room when Xemnas appeared, lumbering into the room, looking equally cold as the rest of them, and equally happy. He grumpily poured a cup of coffee, standing next to Saïx. Xigbar peered at the pair leaning on the counter.

"What?" Saïx snapped. It was unnerving. The staring, that is.

Xigbar cocked his head to the side. "Very similar," he noted.

"How acute of you," Saïx muttered into his cup.

Xigbar couldn't help but laugh. "Thank you!" he said. Then, "I think maybe my lungs are frosting, too." He took a deep breath to accentuate this.

Xaldin had his eyebrows narrowed. "I do somehow think this is all Vexen's fault..."

"Might as well talk to him, then, if you think that," Xigbar told him.

Xaldin shook his head minutely. "I thought you thought so as well?" he said while shivering.

Xigbar gave him a confused look. "No, I was only joking. Don't take everything seriously, and I think your lips are turning blue." Xemnas sighed.

Suddenly a chorus of heavy thudding bass pounded out, from upstairs, and guitars, and drums. They all jumped and looked up at the sound. "What on earth is that?" Luxord demanded.

Xigbar laughed, "Probably Demyx." He started chuckling to himself.

Xemnas ground his teeth together rhythmically. Music was not helping his headache. Saïx sighed as he knew he should go and pop Demyx's head off before Xemnas all together did it to them.

He left swiftly.

Demyx was indeed the source, laying on his bed with his speakers blasting on his monster sound system. He was completely covered in blankets, desperately almost finding warmth - why on earth was it so cold? - and being soothed by the loud music. He did not hear Saïx burst in.

"Demyx!" he yelled. "Shut that off this minute!"

Demyx yelled back, "Go away!"

Saïx went over, throwing back all the sheets and blankets, making Demyx shriek at the cold, and Saïx then proceeded to head over and unplug the sound system. It was loud, then suddenly quiet again. They both heard the sighs from the room next to Demyx's, and then the next, even.

Demyx was scrambling to hide inside the warm blanket abode again, while Saïx loomed over him, warningly telling him, "Keep it off", pronouncing each word carefully. Then he left to find his warm coffee again, hoping it was still liquid.

Demyx muttered, "Stupid X-Face..."

* * *

Roxas finally decided to move. He was slightly aware that he did still have a body, which was intact (he hoped) and so looked down to check, aware since he could no longer feel it.

Once he had made sure he was not just some head floating in space, Roxas fearfully and stiffly stood up, encased in wool and fleece and satin. He created himself a dark corridor and then hobbled into Axel's room. His earlier plans were being fulfilled.

Axel was now awake by cause of the sudden booming music, although strangely Larxene had stayed asleep from it. Axel was all casual, leaning back on the head board of the bed, only the blanket to cover him from the waist down. Why? Roxas wondered. Axel glanced up from the book he had been reading as Roxas entered his room.  
"Oh, no," Axel said. "Not another one." He made a face.

Roxas shuffled to the bed. "Shut up," he said, teeth chattering, "and l-let m-me get in."

Axel sighed and patted the sheets. Raye was curled up comfortably up against Axel, held to Larxene's body. Raye was awake, though, too, and drowsily greeted Roxas, rising to clamber over to him.

"Well, isn't this a wonderful reunion," Axel commented. He raised an eyebrow at Roxas who sat cross-legged on the end of the bed. Roxas was warmer already, and grateful when he allowed Raye to sit on his lap in the midst of blankets.  
"No, I'm just freezing my ass off," Roxas replied to his friend. Raye settled in with Roxas, feeling like she was in a nest. Axel laughed. "Having fun?" the redhead inquired, opening the book again.

Roxas made an over-sweet face and tone. "Oh, yes, doesn't my face show it all? I love the cold and below zero temperatures... not that you'd know," he added.

Axel only shrugged. "Tough stuff," he said. "I suppose that's what you get when you're not hot, like me." He winked. Raye giggled.

Roxas scoffed and nodded at the book in Axel's lap. "What's that you're reading?"

Axel turned the book over so he could see the cover again, thoughtfully staring at it. "It's actually not mine. It's hers," he gestured to Larxene with his elbow. "I was bored as fuck, and remembered I was reading it once I had that rude awakening." He sent a scornful look at the wall behind him - Demyx's room. Roxas smirked. "It's one of those weird Fifty Shades of Grey books... more like Fifty Shades of Gay, but I have to say, there are some pretty good ideas in here-" he told Roxas, waving the book to accent his point, but Roxas had scrunched up his nose.  
"Isn't that like a kinky sex book?" Roxas asked, staring at it and wondering how something so seemingly innocent could house dirty things in it. (He at first only thought it was a mystery book. Like, an intsresting one.)  
Axel nodded. "Supposed to be bondage, but there isn't much of it going on." He looked at the open pages again. "Tying someone to a bed isn't exactly bondage, just kink-"

"Okay, keep in mind your child is here," Roxas said, keeping thoughts of a tied up Naminé away from the front of his mind, even though he thought the beds were designed handy for it...

Raye proclaimed, "I am going to look up what bondage means."

Axel raised his eyebrows and shrugged, reading again. Roxas's mouth popped open and Raye said, "And kink, too. Whatever that is."

"Those words don't need to be in your vocabulary, Raye," Roxas told her. "Compared to everything else..."  
Raye "humph"ed. "I don't care! I can say whatever the hell I fucking want!"

Axel glanced up, smiling immodestly, a tiny quirk of the lips as Roxas screwed up his mouth to try and reproach her.

Axel was reading again. "Mmm, cunnilingus," he commented. Roxas sighed.

"Axel, why do you read that book?"

"I'm bored. It's kind of unreal, though. She has too many orgasms-"

"Okay, you don't need to get into that..."

"Trust me, this has nothing to do with actual sex-"

Roxas zoned out with his friend's rant. Raye laughed at his expression and Axel's enthusiasm, with Roxas sighing periodically. At least he was warm.

* * *

Now what ever happened to dear old Lexaeus? He actually enjoyed the cold. It made him feel more isolated, like he could actually just sit and think and be for a bit, and endure. He did sit and drink hot tea with Zexion and Vexen; they all sat around one of the heated tables together, reading or whatnot. Zexion was happy his toes had melted from being popsicle-toes.

Lexaeus didn't talk much, wasn't around much; he hung out with Zexion if he ever was with anyone, and was present for meetings and important things, and if seen in the Grey Area before heading out he would be standing looking out the window. He was not the Silent Hero for nothing.

Lexaeus was not heard from much; in general no one heard much from his own mouth, and hardly anyone mentioned him. It was hard to talk with someone who doesn't talk; so why talk of them, when there is so little to know?

He didn't mind, actually - since becoming a "Nobody" he kept to himself but usually either talked with Xaldin, Vexen or Zexion. Everyone else annoyed him, especially the young'uns. Besides, it wasn't like anyone else was bursting forth with details from their past lives to share.

He just had to wonder, though... he knew all of the eight original members of the Organization. But the rest... who were they? Where had they come from and why did they end up there?

Not talking gave someone a lot of time to think.

* * *

"Um... water?"

"No: you've guessed that seven times."

Xion chewed her lip in thought. "Uh... bleach?"

"No."

"Water!"

"No!"

"Oh... it has to be water! That can be seen as dangerous!" Xion exclaimed.

Axel sighed and stretched. "Give up?"

Xion sighed again. "I guess..."

Axel rubbed his eyes. "Vodka."

"What?" Xion cried incredulously. "Vodka is... that's not... fair!" She flailed for words.

Axel smiled triumphantly at her. Roxas said, "Well, vodka is dangerous, I suppose, in a way..."

Larxene said from the edge of the bed away from them, "Dangerously fun!" with a gleam in her eye.

"Mm-hmm," Roxas murmured. Now Naminé had occupied Raye's earlier spot on Roxas's lap, laying back into his arms and covered by various quilts on Axel's bed. So far, Larxene, Xion, Raye, Roxas, and Naminé had come in to Axel's toasty wam room seeking shelter from the cold of the Castle. Axel was surprised he didn't have this many visitors more often if they were looking for warmth.

Raye crawled up onto his lap so he held his hands up as a spot support. Larxene rolled over beside him, saying, "It's fun when you drink the bottle yourself, get extremely drunk, proceed to have drunk sex, and -"  
"Hope you don't end up making a baby," Axel finished, to the glare and threatening crackle of electricity from Larxene. He only raised a shoulder. "True story."

Naminé laughed. Larxene growled something and turned away, again proceeding to read Fifty Shades of Gay - er, Grey, sorry.

Xion sighed in contentment. Even though Naminé was beside her, and her feet were entwined with those of various other people in the bed - cause there were five of them - including Larxene's, which was a little intimidating, she was relaxed. Nothing like spending freezing cold days with your friends.  
She glanced up, and happened to notice Roxas looking at her, so they both smiled. She then glanced at Axel, who noticed the little exchange, and smiled at him, too.

He raised an eyebrow which made her giggle, making Raye turn around to look at her. Naminé looked over as well, then tilted her head up to smile at Roxas.

There was a slap on the floor of a book dropping, and Larxene's voice announcing, "This is boring." Someone sighed, and she sat up, tossing the covers back. "If you agree, you can leave," she addressed the person who had done it.

"Well, you can leave too, if you forget whose room this is," Axel said to her. She threw up the middle finger in front of his face and proceeded to use his washroom. He rolled his eyes and shrugged behind her back. The others smiled.

"I wonder what everyone else is doing," Naminé asked, as Raye yawned. Roxas nodded. "If you find everyone in here later, don't be surprised," Naminé said, laughing.

Axel sadly sighed. "Yes," he agreed.

Raye put her head down on his chest and tried to fall asleep.

* * *

Everyone else was huddling in on themselves au contraire to the little comfy get together in Room #VIII. Although, they weren't alone - every other member was in the kitchen, drinking coffee and waiting for the horrid day to end. Vexen was disappointed that they had thought it was all his fault. Just because he was icy... Marly was grumbling because he knew where two of his favourite people were, keeping each other warm. And "the kids" were most likely having some stupid sleepover or something, though it didn't matter to all those grumpy men.

They weren't sure how to entertain themselves besides playing cards and talking, maybe drinking a little bit so to ease their minds. Saïx dropped dead (well, not literally) at his seat on the island/counter and just stayed there and they didn't bother him. Soon they discovered Xemnas was extremely good at cards, and chess, and basically everything. Luxord struggled to maintain his composure as everyone egged him on and he would not let himself lose. He came very close to it a few times.

The only male member missing was Axel, although of course he was "busy" (little did they know). It would have been the perfect reunion for male bonding, but if you said that in front of them I somehow think they would turn on you and kill you after you were dead, many times. Like they didn't have enough of it.  
Strangely, though, they liked it.

* * *

Back up in the heated parts of the Castle, where more happy things were going on, so the rest of them thought, was the little group conversing, and falling asleep, if you were the smallest in this case, and sitting and laying together to take away the cold. In the bathroom Larxene stood in front of the mirror, partly going through Axel's things without him knowing simply for pure curiosity, and also touching up her hair for she had been lying down. She had already washed her hands but earlier when she had been using the main use for the bathroom, she hadn't helped noticing the spots of blood, but that was normal, so she paid little attention to it.

* * *

**fifty shades of grey = WORST BOOK EVERRR.  
**

**trust me...  
**


	16. Still

_**Once the words were said they each were like a stone dropped into the water, soundless and heavy, sinking slowly to the bottom... to the bottom of what? His heart?**_

_**;  
**_

* * *

It had warmed up a little later. By a little later, of course, that meant a little less than a week. It was interesting to wonder why it had even happened, it was only October, it wasn't supposed to be that cold yet; but afterward no one ended up thinking about it too much. Work went on normally after that first day, though no one was especially happy about it.

Raye wanted more than ever to be taken along on one of these "trips" wherever they went each time. She was extremely curious and difficult to keep entertained all day at the Castle when the majority of its members were not around. Now, even Saïx had to do his part in keeping her happy. Axel generally teased him about that before going off for a day, patting him on the shoulder and saying, "Have fun," before parting into the black portal. The response was usually bared teeth, or a glare of menace.

It was the day Larxene got partnered with Xigbar that Saïx got the returning favour. Larxene snarled something mean at him as he let her know, Xigbar stretching and heading over. She had her hood up, but her expression was identifiable, angry and upset. "You're all treating me like I'm some invalid! I preferred it when I had nothing to do!" she exclaimed, waving her arms. "You all treat me like I can't go out and just take care of myself, that I have to be babysat!"

"Just for precaution. You never know what could go wrong, princess," Xigbar told her, deciding it would be too dangerous to pat her back and instead winked. She hissed.

"Don't you fucking call me that!"

Larxene seethed. This whole situation was not helping the headache she had had since yesterday, and she ground her teeth together (which didn't help either). She clenched her hands and glared up at Saïx, who was looking back at her in irritation.

"I feel sick," she told him bluntly, and Xigbar laughed loud.

"Using some excuse like trying to escape class," he teased. "Don't think that's gonna work, honey bunny."  
Larxene turned on him, letting her knives escape and have one threateningly fly past his head. He gave her an apathetic look.

"Shut the fuck up!" she shrieked. "I feel fucking sick!"

Xigbar sighed, reached up and rubbed his neck. "Most pregnant women do," he said.

Larxene scoffed in disgust and turned back to Saïx. "Fine, you're obviously not letting me stay." A dark portal had already been opened by her companion.

"No," Saïx agreed, "So go." He looked at her with narrowed eyes, and she stormed off.

Her mood got considerably worse as she felt her boots sink into sand, the heat of the desert sun blasting through her coat and cooking her face. She turned her glare to meet that of the big ball of flame. "Perfect," she muttered, voice clipped and taut.

They were in Agrabah, not a soul in sight at the market, most likely because the Heartless they were assigned to destroy.

Xigbar stood ahead, examining things and already making his way forward. "Alright, let's get this done," he called. She hardly heard him.

The sun was too bright, it was hot, the ground felt too stable - then there was heat trickling down her leg, Larxene trying to figure out what it was and looking down and seeing something darker against her dark pants. The heat was wet, it wasn't good...

Xigbar was heading away now. He sighed. Just cause she was in a bad mood - "Come on," he called again, turning and seeing Larxene collapsed on the ground near where they had just arrived. Annoyance transferred into shock - uh oh.

He dashed over to where she lay. Her hood had fallen back and her eyes were closed. He supported her neck and lifted her torso from the sand. Limp. Hmm...  
Then Xigbar's eyes caught the blood, the dark blood, and there was a lot of it. His eyes widened momentarily but he picked her up under her knees and created a dark corridor which he hurried through, back to the Castle in less than a minute.

* * *

Saïx was startled by the sudden opening of darkness beside him, back so early, and the earliest mission Luxord had left out for had been only an hour ago. Surely... no one could be done that fast...

But who stepped out was not Luxord - no, it was Xigbar and Larxene. And wait, Xigbar was carrying Larxene, too.  
At first, Saïx was pissed. The he was confused. Then he was concerned, unusual for him. His brow frowned as he saw the weak state of number twelve, who was hanging in number two's arms and looking unpleased about it. Xigbar turned to Saïx as soon as he fully made it into the room, closing the door to darkness and saying, "Something happened."

No really, Saïx thought. He still didn't know anything of what had happened yet, though. So he asked: "What?"

Larxene was looking uncomfortable in Xigbar's arms, mad and also... a little worried, maybe. And sick.

This irritated Saïx for some reason, a reason actually well known to him which he refused to acknowledge. He was the one who let her go out.

Xigbar said, "Let me put her down first."

"Yes, thanks," Larxene snapped so as to not show any wobbliness in her voice. Zexion and Xaldin were present in the room too, and had got up to see what was the matter as soon as Xigbar had walked right back in. Zexion was frowning too as Larxene yelled, "I can do it myself!" when Xigbar was carrying her to a couch. Once she was set down on her feet, though, her legs shook and her knees were close to buckling and she grabbed the back of the couch.

Zexion noticed the copper smell right away. The second Larxene moved. He snapped to attention. "What happened?" he asked again of Xigbar, who looked up and furrowed his brow. They all shared the same expression.

"She fainted." Larxene shot him a look and then groaned softly. She couldn't exactly help it. Zexion walked over to her.

"You're bleeding," he murmured to her and she breathlessly scoffed for him to get out.

Saïx now was alert as well. "What?" he demanded again.

"Articulate this morning, Saï," Xigbar noted and Saïx signaled with a hand for him to zip it while he approached Zexion and Larxene, who had managed to straighten up. She looked very unhappy.

"She's bleeding?" he said in a low voice to Zexion, who nodded. Xaldin watched with interest.

"What does that mean?" Larxene demanded. "That means it's..."

Zexion turned to her. "Calm down. Vexen will handle it properly, and if you don't let him the bleeding will get worse so you best not move too much and cooperate."

Larxene bristled.

Saïx was heading off to hail Vexen and inform the superior, and his parting words were: "Have it dealt with."

* * *

Axel was out when this happened, but got back fairly early afterward. There were only two people present to the Gray Area when he arrived: Raye and Xion, together and looking worried. He appeared and saw them immediately, and walked over. "What is it?"

Xion had Raye in her arms, sleeping, and she said, "We were waiting for you. Larxene..." She wasn't sure how to continue.

Axel frowned. If nobody was home, and something was up, why was Larxene's name mentioned... "Yeah?" he asked warily.

Xion's eyes looked sad. "She... she went for a mission with Xigbar and she collapsed because... she..." Axel put a hand on Xion's shoulder. Xion looked like she could cry.

"I'm sorry!" Xion burst out. She looked down. Axel's face painted itself in concern and worry. _This is really upsetting Xion, so it's not good._

Xion looked back up. "They said the baby died."

Once the words were said they each were like a stone dropped into the water, soundless and heavy, sinking slowly to the bottom... to the bottom of what? His heart? The emptiness that was there which only felt like a feeling, and that didn't make any sense...

Xion anxiously watched her friend's reaction. All earlier expression slowly was wiped clean, leaving a blank portrait to craft whatever one wanted onto but it still wouldn't be real. Xion felt a heat in her throat, some big lump of heat which hurt. Why did it feel like that?

Axel was just hollow. Hollow in his mind which frantically scrambled for the right reaction, but he couldn't. He couldn't even tell Xion anything, either - besides, she looked exactly the same. So he stood there for minutes - oh, maybe hours. He did nothing until finally he broke off the attachment to blankness, to not thinking because that was easier, and rasped, "Where?" He cleared his throat. "Where did they put her?"

Xion opened her mouth and told him, "She was in the lab; but now she's sleeping, I think..." As he swiftly disappeared, she cried, "Axel!" He was gone, she didn't know he'd heard, if he cared. Xion stamped her foot, waking Raye and making her have to be present to the horridness.

"Oh, go back to sleep, Raye..."

* * *

Larxene was lying in her bed with towels underneath her. Wouldn't want the white sheets to get stained.  
She laid completely still, not wanting to blink for fear of what might be seen behind her eyes and what might come out after. She lay in the soundlessness; the Castle had gotten very quiet. Had it, actually? It was quiet there.  
Her tranquil was broken by the soft footsteps ringing out through the room. The footsteps came near the bed. No, go away, she thought and as soon as she had, they stopped. She finally closed her eyes and exhaled very softly.  
Then she realized someone was still there. She refused to move.

"Larx?"

Okay, Axel.

She would not answer, would not move, would not do anything.

"I... It's not true, is it," he said brokenly, trying to laugh but sounding strained and small. "The ... the baby's not dead... right? He's sitting all safe and sound in your little... safe place for him... and he's happy and alive, right..." She swear she heard a small sniffle. She would not move.

"Right. That's what I thought, cause we were gonna tell Raye about him soon. Then she would have a baby brother, or sister, maybe. And I'm sure Raye would be happy. But she didn't know and I guess she won't cause it doesn't matter,... cause he died."

Larxene stared straight ahead, the moonlight burning her eyes. But it wasn't moonlight because then her cheeks wouldn't feel wet and she wouldn't be trying to control the scream she wanted to echo through the Castle. Not this time.

And Axel was still there. She knew he must be there... She heard small noises like a muffled ...something. But they were something small and something...

Larxene still would not move. If she moved she would have to talk, and Axel would make her talk.  
But isn't this what she wanted? A miscarriage should seem like a blessing to her, a nine to ten week old stillborn which she could laugh about later on. Right...

Axel didn't know what to do or where to go, when to leave. What if she said something? But she wouldn't. Larxene just stared out the window, facing away from him and she said nothing and listened to him make those sad noises and feel the hotness in her chest and coldness of her body and wetness trickling down her leg on the towel and the wetness trickling down her face to the pillow. Maybe she was bleeding from the eyes too. That could seem fitting.

This all made Larxene extremely furious, for many reasons and she didn't feel like listing them. She felt like having the little monster drip down her leg and finally get away from her and listen to Axel cry and fuck and she was fucking crying and they shouldn't be crying cause they didn't have hearts and this was all heartless; and maybe the baby was a heartless, maybe a baby even had a heart but now it was getting eaten by a heartless - and that could be her.

So now Larxene stared out the window at Kingdom Hearts, and cursed it and cursed the Castle and then Axel, then herself. Then she noticed Axel had left and she was alone and she wanted to die.


	17. Cold, 2

**im sorry my franz, i lack inspiration and i know the chapters are pretty - very - short. **

* * *

It was quiet in the Castle That Never Was over the next few weeks. Time seemed to pass along very slowly, ticking by just to tease. There was a certain sense of apprehension, of grief, although no one could understand why - but they knew the reason. The miscarriage was a tender subject around the Castle, one that no one talked about at all, a matter avoided at all costs.

Larxene stayed in her bed every day, hardly eating to much discontent of Xemnas and Zexion and Saïx, though they let her be. Vexen didn't want to bring up "The grieving process" because he knew everyone would rebut somehow and that would just start an unnecessary argument, again.

Number twelve laid in bed day after day, staring out the window with empty eyes, feeling empty in more than a way, not sure what to make of herself. She didn't show her face and didn't want to go back out into the "real world" (ironic). She wanted to melt into a puddle and disappear like magic. But even with all the magic in her arsenal she couldn't do anything to take herself away, or bring back the little baby that had gone away from inside of her.

She let the sheets and towels be changed, not wanting to look at whatever may have come out on them.  
Larxene felt unsure of how to react to this, if she could. She had cried, and she tried to forget all about that, all about that day. And Axel, he had cried too, hadn't he... Any other day, Larxene would make fun of him for it, calling him a pussy and telling him to grow up and be a man, but somehow... somehow, she let it be. She forgot.  
Raye wanted to know why Larxene was never around, and she felt depressed by all the obvious shift in the atmosphere of moods around her. She tried to go to her mom, but someone or other cautioned her not to, told her not to bother Larxene or go in her room. Larxene didn't get many visitors anyhow.

Raye wanted to see her mom, and so naturally went to the next female she could find, or to her dad. Axel was just as distant, knowing he had to be putting up a strong front for his daughter, and being able to, though Raye still noticed how distant he was. He always said things absentmindedly to her and just seemed to sad... Raye wanted to make it better.

Raye asked constantly of Xion, Naminé, Demyx, anyone, where her mommy was and when she was coming out of her room and why, and they either didn't know what to say or just told her some excuse and proceeded to take her mind off it onto other things. But Raye was always suspicious.

So the general liveliness of the Castle was dulled by the quietness, the depression of any notions to try and pretend to be happy. Who knew one little death would affect these cold, heartless beings so much? Xaldin said the baby wasn't even alive yet, but it still bugged him somehow.

As for Axel, they didn't know how to deal with him, as they let him be. He spent more time with Saïx again, and besides that fact he was hardly seen either. Roxas and Xion felt something major was missing at their almost daily reunions at the clock tower, so it wasn't much of a reunion for them... They felt as if their friend, their guide and helper was no longer helping them, guiding them through each day with words of sarcastic wisdom that he usually had. They got by, they just missed him.

As more and more time passed, Larxene still wouldn't get up, and eventually Xemnas asked Saïx to order Axel to go in and talk to her. Axel's eyes clouded over warily as soon as he heard this. Saïx forced him to go.  
Axel walked down to the bedroom. Haven't been here for a while, he thought as soon as he was standing outside the door. He hesitated. The room seemed like some foreign place where no one entered ever anymore, and it was because someone had died in there... someone inside the person whose life had been sucked out of them. He had to laugh slightly. So many ways to describe it.

Axel eventually entered the room, and it was cold. Not temperature-wise, but cold in the way as if saying you are not welcome here. He was anxious to continue on, mostly because he feared having a knife in the middle of his forehead, but also because he did not want to do it.

Larxene was curled up on herself, head resting on the pillow with no other creases to show she had moved since... who knew when. She was still and he wasn't certain if she was asleep.

Axel leaned over to see if her face showed any sign of life. Her eyes were closed, but he noticed the crease in her brows as soon as he was face-to-face with her. Then her eyes slowly opened. He stared firmly at her.  
"What do you want?" she tried to growl menacingly, but she ended up whispering it. Larxene's voice was coarse with disuse, and dry. Axel recognized the familiar venom in all her features. _She's coming back to life!_

Axel answered evenly, "Xemnas orders you need to get up. You can't stay in bed forever and act like everyone else will just allow it."

Larxene scowled meanly. "Xemnas and the rest of you can all shove the orders up your tight assholes," she snarled.

Axel straightened up. "He's right, you know. You can't expect to just stay in here all the time and do as you please and let all of us do the dirty work."

Larxene sat up, now. At least Axel was making progress. "What the fuck do you know?" she snapped. "This is why I have hated living with men from day one! None, literally _none_ of you understand!"

Axel wouldn't be put through this again. Females and their issues did not need to be sorted out with him. "Look, have you remembered that, oh, I am playing just a tiny role in this little thing?" he questioned.

Larxene sprang up on the mattress and glared down at him. "And so that's why you come and visit me, huh? I'm so glad I've been kept company in this time of grief, you know!?"

Axel set his mouth together, not wanting to explode in flames. He muttered, "Well, difficult thing to do, communicate, when the receiving end isn't willing to open their arms to comfort."

Larxene was crackling lightning at her clawed hands, and looking ready to explode in bolts herself. "Not willing? Since when did a single one of you attempt to come in and even say fucking hello?"

Axel wouldn't be pushed over the edge. But he started to yell too. "Don't think you're the only one who's allowed to feel bad! I've been containing myself and getting up every day, facing _our daughter,_" he accentuated this, "and at least _attempting_ to remain civil and continue living!"

Larxene uttered some indiscernible shriek or curse, and launched a knife at the wall where it stuck before disappearing. Then she hit Axel with her bare hand continuously; he restrained her arms while she resisted and she started kicking him. "Stop!" he yelled.

She immediately stopped thrashing, breathing heavily. She glared into his eyes. "Stop," he repeated firmly.

She said, "_I hate you._"

He smiled wistfully. "If only."

* * *

"Well?"

Saïx was demanding overview of how it had went with Larxene, Axel looking completely displeased about it and firing Saïx a look to get out. Axel made his way to one of the various placed couches and plopped down, face-first on his front, and was still and silent. Saïx loomed over him. "How did it go?"

Axel lifted his hand to make the thumbs-down sign for Not good. Saïx heaved a sigh and sat down himself on a chair beside his companion. Not entirely sure how to proceed.

"Maybe Xemnas will have to do it..." Saïx muttered, and Axel intervened with, "If you want to spare the superior's manhood, don't." Saïx raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Axel propped himself up on his elbows. "She'll attack him without thinking. She won't care who it is, she just doesn't want anyone telling her what to do - and if they do," he continued cheerfully, "she'll rip their eyes out. Or worse."

Saïx sighed again. "You're lucky you escaped with your life?" he guessed.

Axel nodded gravely. "I was lucky to have stopped it." Then he dunked his head back down on the cushions.

Saïx didn't bother asking how exactly his friend had stopped it.

* * *

**OMG!**

**my best friends got my early xmas gifts and one of my besties got me a keyblade necklace! I love it sooomuch and i love herr even more! she also got me a pin! (riku's head was like chopped off at the top though ) hearts all around, muah! and she almost got me an axel stuffie but there was none left, oh well I STILL LOVE THEM OMGG  
**

**and i might be getting a kairi outfit, oh me gaaaash. that will make me happy happy  
**

**bye beautiful peoples~  
**


	18. Dear Snoopy:

**21 december 202! it's my birthday today! not kidding! i'm the anti christ; i better get some sleep, destroying the world is hard work, you know~ hah, no. but it really is my birthday! i'm 15! :D yay me! **

**i got a tablet with attachable keyboard, so now I don' have to write everything on my damn phone anymore ^^ its almost like having a laptop again, its so nice, i love my birthday present :DD**

**so now guess what i am uploading this chap on! yupyup. i really should be getting sleep instead of writing fanfiction at 2 am. meh. its more fun using my new tablet omg im soo grateful to have it!**

**anyways, i will shut up so y'all readers can read cause well yeah**

**i will spare your lives today since i love all you readers! ^o^ hahaha, i hope you like this chap.\ more plot plans so have faith faithful fans**

**byebyeee**

**;**

* * *

It was a dark and stormy night. No, literally. The Castle floating in the World That Never Was endured the battering of endless rain and wind, worse than normal. Ominous howling came from outside the Castle walls, and no one was entirely sure whether it was Heartless or just the wind... To make things worse, somehow the lighting had dimmed, and everyone without outspoken agreement knew it wasn't just a fluke or coincidence to make the dark and stormy night darker. Somehow this seemed fitting. Raye was with Naminé, both of them in Raye's room reading. Well, Naminé was reading, Raye didn't know how. They huddled together surrounded by pillows and blankets. Finally, as per Naminé's plan as babysitter for the day, Raye fell asleep. Naminé laid the book down and fashioned her own portal to darkness and silently went through. She walked down the hall, heading for her room (Xion's and her's shared room) now slightly shivering; the Castle had never been very warm and cozy. Before she made it to the door she heard another set of feet and turned. "Oh," said Naminé in pleasant surprise. "Hi, Roxas." They went over and greeted each other. Naminé couldn't help grinning all over. "Taking care of Raye is so fun! She may be not the most innocent toddler, but she is the sweetest when you're nice to her!" "Oh, yeah?" Roxas said. He was happy for her, she seemed to enthusiastic about the little kid. "That's good. You should get Axel to pay you." "For what? Enjoying time with Raye?" Naminé shook her head and lightly tapped Roxas's hand. "I like it!" she told him. He shrugged. "Okay, then." He smiled. Just then they heard another set of steps and turned together. Both their expressions ranged from surprise to shock and wariness. "Hey, it's..." Roxas started. "-You," Naminé finished. They blinked. "Wh- you're up!"

* * *

In another reach of the Castle, Saïx was waiting on Xion to arrive back, certain she must have gotten stuck somewhere and couldn't find her way back, and debating whether or not to send Axel out to fetch her. He was currently sprawled out on the couch with his arms and legs dangling dramatically, a cloth over his eyes. No one else was around to ask, so Saïx gave it a shot. Axel felt a light plop on his stomach and twitched. He got up slowly, searching for the whatever-it-was and found a square of paper. Sitting up and letting the towel fall he read the paper:

Go and find your stupid little friend.

"Stupid little friend?" Axel called out to Saïx's retreating form. "Why me?!" "You're not the stupid little-" "I know! Why do I have to go and get her?" Axel whined. Saïx turned around before continuing. "Who else? She's your friend, and I don't very well see anyone else around." Axel huffed and glanced out the window. The rain and storm was everlasting, and he had no idea where Xion even was. He questioned Saïx once again. "I sent her to Wonderland" was the answer. At first Axel misinterpreted this and raised an eyebrow, until his face changed into an "Oh." Axel got going to Wonderland himself. Personally it scared him. All the vibrant colours and foliage he just wanted to incinerate. He found it just his luck to have to voyage there today. Axel cupped his hand around his mouth and called, "Xi-on!" Why did he expect and answer? Axel sighed. "I suppose you could be anywhere." He rubbed his neck. The fire wielder continued searching around, listening for any signs of struggle, hoping he would hear some soon; if Xion wasn't making any noise, that was a very bad thing too. Axel made note that if this ever happened again he should ask Saïx as well what kind of mission Xion was on exactly. "I hope you're not dead!" Axel yelled into the forests. Damn, I really should have asked Saïx what Xion's supposed to be doing, Axel thought to himself. Good luck to me coming across her. And now what if she had gone home already, and he was walking around Wonderland like a jackass? He debates going back just in case. Or what if Xion and him had bypassed each other without even knowing? Axel stopped to drag a hand down his face. When the tips of his gloved fingers passed his eyes, dragging down the eyelids, Axel saw ahead of him fleeing Heartless. His eyes narrowed. Heartless... Just then a black form leapt out of the leaves and attacked him. "Hiyaaaah!" Axel cried out in terror as the form started to beat him with their Keyblade. At first he got a smack across the face with a knee to the groin and then the violent attacker proceeded to destroy the Heartless - their apparent real victim. Axel moaned on the ground, holding his face. "Ow..." He rolled over. "Xion..." he said menacingly. Her hood was up, and she was facing half-away from him so he couldn't see the sheepish and afraid look she was getting. "Do I look like a Heartless to you?" he growled. Xion lifted her weapon and looked at it. "I couldn't see the difference!" she insisted. "Besides," she swung out her arms, turning to him with a big smile on her face. The Keyblade swung out and smacked Axel upside the head again. "I finished my job!" "Stop smiling!" he snapped. She realized what she had done and hid her Keyblade. Axel was holding the entire half of his face and glowering at her. "I came here to get you." Xion looked flattered. "Oh!" Then her expression turned to suspicion. "Why? Saïx doesn't think I'm good enough, does he? He hates me! Oh, I knew it! He can't even let me go out by myself anymore, probably has someone babysitting me all the time, just in case..." she continued on. Axel got up still holding his face, to her turned back where she was walking away from him, still rambling on.

"I can't trust him if he can't... trust me," Xion was saying. "Now that - well, what if I tell him I know?" She swung around to Axel. "Then he'll be..." Axel put a hand on her shoulder.

"I shouldn't be sympathetic, since you jumped on me and have continued aiming the attacks on my face," Axel said, and Xion bi her lip and looked away. "But I will tell you this - honestly, you can trust me, since I know Saix better than you do, that he has not sent or been sending anybody out to check on you. There's just this storm a:nd you haven't RTC'd for while, and he was getting worried." Xion looked a bit skeptic still, but he could see relief in her eyes as well after he had said this.

"Really?" she asked him. He nodded, and then winced and rubbed his cheekbone. Xion looked sheepish again. "Sorry about that," she told him. He glowered fake-meanly at her.

"You better be," he threatened. "I could make sure you never get home and make you combust here and now!"

Xion was slightly smiling as she headed off to RTC. "Save those words for Larxene," she said. "Now that she's awake."

Axel's eyes lit up as he heard this, and he quickly followed his friend. "She is? Up?"

Xion was smiling, satisfied with herself. "Of course. Looking for you, too."

"You're not pulling my leg?"

"No, but if you let her, I think she will."

Axel laughed, shaking his head to wince again afterward. "I see someone's making more innuendos and remarks, here, in accordance to sexual relations," he teased. She only smiled.

They got back to the Castle to find it dark and empty. They both assumed everyone was hiding away in their personal quarters, or gone off to bed though the night was young. Xion stretched and wondered what they do now.

Axel felt bad to leave her, but he said, "I'm going off to find..."

She waved him off, understanding. "Go get her."

He hurriedly all but fled, and she was left to wander all alone.

The Castle got very depressing, and as she thought of what Axel and Larxene could only be doing, Xion was very lonely and sad as she was left to go to bed without doing anything else, tired from the long day and still feeling the bit of betrayal from Saix, withoout even her other best friend who she thought must only be with Namine.


	19. Abstinence?

**After a minute, Larxene softly patted the floor beside her. Axel was surprised. he went over anyway, only grateful she offered. But then he realized she could be putting her prey in a trap; he only realized this as he sat down.**

* * *

Axel entered Larxene's private room, where he only was guessing she would be, watching the thunderstorm. He entered soundlessly, because even if she was there, he didn't want to disturb her; especially not with the likes of him.

That's when the unpleasant thought came to him. What if she was with Marluxia.

_She's not even here, _he was thinking, and about to leave when he caught sight of her sitting near the big picture window, staring out at the pounding rain. He stopped moving, guessing the rain had covered whatever noise he had previously made. Larxene looked somewhat... peaceful sitting there. He didn't know what she was doing, it looked like nothing. She was only sitting.

Axel wanted to clear his throat, or go up behind her, but either might scare her and it could be the end of days for him and his dear family jewels. Eventually, though, he noticed she noticed him in the reflection of the window. Larxene stared at him, her face a blank slate. He managed a half-smile which seemed more of a stutter on his face. He didn't know what to do or say, and awkwardly ended up standing at the door fidgeting.

After a minute, Larxene softly patted the floor beside her. Axel was surprised. He went over anyway, only grateful she offered. But then he realized she could be putting her prey in a trap; he only realized this as he sat down. He steeled himself for an onslaught of curse words, and multiple beatings. She didn't even look at him, only stared out the window. o started by taking a breath, only to find no words to say. He again ended up awkwardly sitting with nothing to do but look down and twiddle his thumbs.

Larxene turned to him, and he put a kiss on her mouth. She froze - maybe she had been frozen anyway, but overall, he knew it as a bad sign. _Now what, dumbass,_ he scolded himself, simply resting there with her stiff figure under his, well, lips.

Axel pulled away in shame and reproach under her steely gaze. He couldn't bring himself to look at her, knowing what he would see. He sucked on the inside of his lips, then bit them as if for punishment to himself. A few minutes went by. Silence (save the pouring of the rain).

"Knowing that all these rooms are completely private, we could loudly fuck and no one would hear us." Axel was startled by her voice, surprisingly clear and strong, and of course angry. And her choice of words were no doubt enticing, if not a bit threatening. He thought over what she said, and was about to say, _Why haven't we ever thought of that, then? _when she spoke again.

"But, since I'm resolving to wait a little bit after this traumatic experience," he knew she touched her abdomen, "I am not letting us do anything." She pressed a finger to his mouth to silence him. "_Anything_."

"I will get weak in the knees," he pleaded. "That happens!"

"Well, you'll just have to bunk with your porn then," she told him, eyeing him disparagingly. His mouth popped open.

"How did _you_ know?" he demanded.

She narrowed her lids condescendingly. "Considering from what Raye described, I figured it was a pretty safe bet what she was looking at," she told him.

Axel didn't know what to say. "Oh, God."

Larxene said nothing, turning back to the window.

"So..." he said after a few moments. "Not even one blow job?"

Larxene rolled her eyes open to gaze at him levelly.

"Even a _kiss_?"

She continued staring.

"Am I allowed to look at you?"

"Depends if you want to, knowing you're probably outraged with this arrangement because you can't even accept that it's _hard, _what I'm dealing with," she outburst.

He immediatel softened his sarcastic tone, reaching his hands out to hold her. "Hey, don't think this isn't hard on me, too," he murmured. She looked up into his eyes. He gave her a sad smile.

"I'm just afraid of it happening again," she whispered. "I don't want to risk having something happen."

He rested her head on his chest. "We'll be extra careful."

She shook her head, pushing away. "That obviously isn't enough; you know this, seing as it just happened again!"

He sighed. "Look, there are ways to make sure-"

She kept shaking her head. He didn't keep trying; she wanted a break from sex. Literal translation: no sex.

"We can still be together," he told her. "Right?"

She looked at the ground while he reached up to start stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. She would have shook this gesture off, but instead didn't and closed her eyes, saying,

"Look. Even if we're together we'll want to..." she clenched her fists. "We both know it. I mean, neither of us can even resist hardly half a day-"

Axel was looking at her with a gaze of such longing and wistfulness, truly hanging onto every word, that she felt the weirdest tug in her stomach - or chest? - which made her feel somewhat happy, sad, and sick. Suddenly Larxene couldn't bear his hand on her cheek or his green eyes boring into her own and anything of his and she got up, mind reeling. Concerned now, Axel rose with her only to be met with trails of darkness sucking up Larxene, taking her to somewhere else. He frantically left in search of her, knowing not to leave her like this.

He found her in the library, alone, later that night. Axel hadn't given up looking, just searched slowly in every part of the Castle, interior and soaking exterior, and was now dripping and still slightly damp and cold. He laughed a little at himself for being so daft to not look in the third most obvious place: the library.

She was reading a book, not watching him come in, or not caring. Axel immediately panicked again once seeing her expression of despair, hopelessness, and anguish. She would almost have had the tears in her eyes spill over if he hadn't looked at what exactly she was reading and yanked it out of her unyielding hands. "Why on earth are you doing this?" he demanded, wagging _The Time Traveler's Wife _in her pained face which had started to crumple. "This book is horrible for you in this situation. At least I don't lose my feet."

Tossing the book somewhere Larxene couldn't reach, Axel sat down next to her on the couch, forcing her to sit up (which was not that difficult) and cradling her to him. She was crying emotionless tears, eyes wide and empty, sobs meaningless to her as he tried desperately to soothe; something that was not his had no idea what time it was, but sometime between five and seven in the morning he woke up, feeling stiff and uncomfortable until he got his bearings. Blinking groggily, he remembered he was on the couch in the library, with Larxene lying against him. Larxene...

He looked down at her. She was facing away from him, but their bodies were squished together as close as two peas in a pod in the minimal room on the couch, and he could definely feel every breath she inhaled. It tickled a little.

Also he noticed it was early morning and he was thirsty, horny, and had to piss really badly; but he didn't want to wake up Sleeping Beauty there.

Last night, he remembered, had been somewhat of hell. Between searching for Xion and then falling asleep here, some dynamic "emotions" had been at play and the horrible feeling of remembering what it felt like listening to someone - especially a girl someone - cry was a terrible thing. Axel felt pained just thinking about it, not like he actually really _cared_ deeply about Larxene.

_Or do you,_ a voice in his head questioned. Axel dismissed it. They had sex together. Nothing less, maybe a little bit more. And that's that.

But he really did need to pee, and Larxene could deal with being shoved onto the floor, right? Axel agreed to just let her fly when he heard footsteps and looked up over the arm of the couch.

Vexen saw at once the two black cloaks on the couch and who they belonged to, and frowned at Axel. Axel held his hands up to say, "So what? Our clothes are on," and Vexen left them alone. Then Axel turned back to Larxene's sleeping form, but since she looked so comfy and asleep, he let her be and disappeared into a corridor of darkness, lightly rolling her over as he went to give her all the warm space of the couch.

"God, you look terrible," Demyx informed Axel who lumbered into the kitchen. "What did you do, not sleep at all last night?"

"Basically," Axel replied, scavenging the refrigerator for breakfast. Yawning, he pulled out a pear and proceeded to sit across from Demyx at the counter.

Demyx was looking closely at him. "What is it?" Axel asked, frowning.

"Your eyes are ringed by horrible dark circles," Demyx again told him. Axel rubbed his eyes, as if knowing this fact beforehand. Demyx shook his head. "What on earth were you doing?"

Axel stopped fiddling with the fruit to sort through all that had occurred the previous night... and morning. He wasn't sure how to answer Demyx this time without telling any super private info no one else needed to know about. Axel glanced back up to Demyx. "I had to find Xion."

"So you stayed up till how long doing that?" Demyx asked him. Axel sighed, dropping his head on the counter. Demyx relented. "Ah, whatever. I think you should head back up to bed, my man."

"Hmph" came the answer from the red head, and "I'm not your man." Demyx was leaving, humming some tune to himself which he most likely would be playing on his sitar later on.

Axel was greeted by Roxas next. Roxas, seeing his friend facedown on the counter, was confused and bemused at the same time and sat across from him, waiting for him to move. Eventually Roxas asked tentatively, "Axel...?"

Axel dragged his head up. "What." Roxas gasped at the visage before him.

"Jeez, how late were you up?" Roxas demanded. Axel groaned, as he knew with no doubt this interrogation would be ongoing throughout the day.

"I need some sleep," Axel said, putting his pear away somewhere else, and making to leave. "

"I'll say," Roxas agreed. Axel ruffled his friend's hair on his way out.

Axel checked the library again before going to his room in case Larxy was still sleeping there. Hopefully no one had found her, though he didn't know why that should worry him. He peeked around the doorframe and saw she was still curled up on the couch just the way he had left her, and he sighed, knowing he would have to move her again just so no one would freak at her for sleeping on the couches, not like that was a first...

Axel went over and scooped up her lying form. She didn't even wake up, only repositioned herself to get more comfortable in his arms. Just seeing her asleep made him want to collapse even more, but if he dropped her he would have more concerns than that. So Axel swiftly travelled up to Larxene's room, still dark and empty and quiet, the sheets all made up no doubt by the Dusks. He placed her on the bed and he himself sank down onto the sheets, laying his head on the pillow and not being able to help his heavy lids close, the last glimpse of morning he saw the face of a sleeping woman, feautures troubled even in sleep.

He woke later, he wasn't sure how much later, in a room he instantly recognized as not his own. It was warm, and comforting, considering the rain still dripping outside the window. The weather cast calming shadows around the room and across his face. Axel softly groaned, finally rested, but, of course, no amount of sleep was ever enough.

It was quiet besides the pattering of rain droplets, and Axel strained to hear any other hints that someone else was in the room with him. He couldn't hear anything else, and jumped a little when a voice said in his ear, "Thank you for carrying me up." The voice was soft and even slightly amused. Axel narrowed his eyes and smirked, turning slightly as he brought an arm up to hold Larxene's neck and bring her face down to his. He stared at her eyes for a few moments, as she leaned over the bed and him, her stare equally calculated as his own.

"You're welcome," he answered. "When did you wake up?"

"Not very long after I got here," she told him, sitting down on the mattress and drawing patterns on the sheet. "It's about four o'clock, if you're wondering." She raised an eyebrow. Axel put his arm over his eyes and moaned.

"Saix won't be very happy as he wonders where the hell I've been," he said. It was long, long overdue for Saix to have mounted Axel's head on the wall; hell, even Xemnas should have done it by now.

"Don't worry, he knows," Larxene said. He saw she was smiling.

"So what, you told him I was _sleeping_?" Axel demanded.

Larxene laughed evilly. "Don't worry, I told him why."

Axel stiffened. "Oh... and why was that?"

"Well..." she reached under his coat and grabbed something which made him let out a noise between a squeal and gasp. This made Larxene grin triumphantly, as if that was the exact reaction she'd wanted and expected. Axel gave her a despairing look.

"But you said no fooling around - no _nothing_!" he hissed. "Now Saix thinks the reason I skipped out a day of work to play in between the sheets with you!" Axel clenched his teeth and glared at her.

"No, no... that's not it. I told him something which did have to do with this, but I only told him that much." Now he Savage Nymph's eyebrows were both raised and the cunning smile was plastered all over her face. Axel's lower jaw slowly unhinged in disbelief.

"You didn't... what did you say?"

Larxene giggled. "I don't know," she answered.

Axel sat up abruptly. "Tell me, god damn it."

Larxene continued giggling. "It's so funny to watch you get all bent out of shape over _this_." She glanced down at _that_ in his pants. This made him flare up again.

"That's because Saix or _anybody_ doesn't have to know about _this_," he snapped. Then his tone turned almost whiny and desperate. "what did you say?"

Larxene only shook her head and pretended to zip her lips. "You'll just have to find out from the weird looks he'll be giving you - and hopefully only him, considering he hasn' told anybody else."

Axel's mouth gaped open another inch. "_What did you do?"_ he screeched. Larxene continued giggling all the way into her corridor of darkness. Axel was afraid to venture out and meet anyone, considering they all didn't know this horrible secret that _he_ didn't even know. To make matters worse, he was really hungry, but he supposed he would have to wait until everyone was asleep to sneak food to his room. Axel thought he was going to have to stay up all night again.


	20. The Beach, Part 1

**come on, skinny love, just lastthe year**

**pour a little salt, we were never here...**

**longer chapter finally. yay!**

**_"It was a diffrent moon. Not the one he was used to. Not Kingdom Hearts."_  
**

* * *

The Organization had gone to the beach. It was their vacation time, and Xemnas himself had actually decided to head to the Destiny Islands, the warm tropical beaches where it always seemed to be summer. Most of them were overjoyed, and relieved that they could just relax and not have to do anything for a few days - yes, the longest vacation break any of them had seen in a while!

On a deserted part of one of the islands was where they stayed, having found a couple empty old beach houses. The sun was out, and they all were enjoying laying about. Demyx was ecstatic; he was in the water of course, swimming everywhere like a fish. Some of the crew were with him too; Axel, Roxas and Xion, Raye, Xigbar (who had proceeded to dunk Demyx once he surfaced again) Xaldin and Lexaeus (swimming laps off to the side) and Namine. Namine, Xion and Roxas all had the feeling that it was all vaguely familiar, though only Namine knew the reason. Xion had never been swimming before, so Roxas helped her float her way out.

On the sand was Xemnas, Saix, Vexen, Zexion, Larxene, Marluxia and Luxord. Xemnas was in the sun resting, Saix near him under the shade of an umbrella with Zexion, who was reading. They now understood why their master was so tan...

Vexen was observing plants and other things at the forest's edge, along with Marluxia, who was simply - literally - smelling the flowers. Larxene was on the blanket beside Zexion, off a little farther away, with an umbrella of her own. Luxord was busying himself catching the sun as well, though he had fallen asleep and they all secretly knew he had not put on enough sunscreen and would not only catch the sun, but carry it with him on his entire back.

Out in the water the group had started chicken fights, with teams of Namine on Roxas's shoulders, Xion on Axel's while Demyx held Raye. Xion and Namine were, as you could guess, a little more competitive. After they both had gotten pushed into the water a few times Raye was screaming that she wanted to try, and Xion, laughing, went on Roxas's shoulders to playfully fall back into the water just so Raye could win.

Saix observed along with Larxene the events occurring in the water, though neither had much interest to say the least. Saix was also trying to read, trying not to be maladroit with Zexion beside him reading at the same time. Larxene was simply staring off into the shimmering clear blue water, sort of dully deadpan. She hadn't bothered to take off her shirt or shorts, not planning to swim or have any kind of fun. Even the sun was bothersome, and Larxene wanted to go inside the cabin.

Soon Raye came back with Namine and they started to bury Vexen in sand much to his protests. He did let them though, knowing he might as well but ordered they put something to cover his face so he wouldn't roast. Giggling, they buried him up to the chin.

Xigbar and Demyx were both still trying to best each other in the water, and when Xigbar didn't seem to really get the picture, Demyx created a huge wave which crashed down on Xigbar, Roxas, Axel, and even Xaldin and Lexaeus (who were none too pleased with that). Demyx squealed and dashed out of the water, running away and being a coward using a dark corridor to get away. Axel started complaining that water was not his favorite thing in the world, especially after being swallowed by it, and claimed his hair would start to droop. "I would like to see that," Roxas said, and Xigbar and him proceeded to taunt the redhead.

Axel left the water as well and headed straight for Larxene's beach towel. The only protest she made to his dripping form was a slight pinch of the brow, otherwise she only shifted her position. He took a towel and wrapped himself in it, lying back, and saying, "Not even going to sunbathe?"

"No," was all she answered with, absently.

He frowned. "Then... not going to enjoy the sun at all?" She was in perfect shade.

"No..."

He sighed. "The water is warm, you know," he told her, accenting the point by pressing his soaking body against her clothed one. She made a very half-assed noise of protest and moved away again. He sighed, propping his head up with his hand. He kept sighing until she turned to him, eyebrows raised and eyes clearly amused. (That was sarcastic, jsyk.)

He pulled one of her antenna hair. "Stop moping." She said _umphh _in response_. _"You're making me feel bad."

"Good," said Larxene. He rolled his eyes.

"I mean," he said, "bad for doing this."

He scooped her up, to which she immediately started shrieking and yelling and kicking as he carried her to the water. Everyone on the beach turned to look as Axel tossed her loud form into the sea. There was a splash and then flying daggers. Axel evaded them quickly and appeared in the water, only to be dragged down as if by a shark. Might as well have been. A shark would have been better anyway.

Moments passed with a bit of splashing. Saix and Xemnas were slightly concerned that Larxene would drown Axel, or that the clear marine water might get flooded with crimson, especially after the splashing stopped. Namine had looked up from her Vexen-burying mission with Raye to look out into the water, shielding her eyes and squinting. Raye turned, too, half-interested, even though it was her parents out there who were attempting and maybe succeeding to drown one another. Demyx and Xigbar had noticed the event and were half-heartedly glancing into the water.

Then the two figures reappeared, splashing up above the surface in an angry/playful embrace. The reason it was angry was because it looked like Larxene was trying to pull all of Axel's hair out and the reason it was playful was because they both were grinning at the same time, even though their faces bore attitudes of _Get the fuck off me, bastard, so I can sink you! _

Everyone who was watching either groaned inwardly (or outwardly) or rolled their eyes and went back to their business. Xigbar called out, "Get a room, horny asses!" since they were basically in front of everyone and in plain view. Roxas and Xion shook their heads at the same time, looked at each other, and laughed. Raye said, "Ewww," really loudly and a few people chuckled. Vexen was trying to lift his head to look and kept asking, "What is going on?"

Demyx eventually made a huge wave to engulf them all, even everyone on the beach, causing complaints and explanations and laughter - also partially almost-burying Vexen fully, making him sputter and utter angry curses - and effectively separating the two locked in the water. Everyone washed ashore, everyone was dripping wet; only Marluxia remained dry and content, as well as confused as he saw the entirety completely drenched. He walked over, a large bouquet of different flowers assorted in his hands, and asked, "What, exactly, happened?"

Xemnas and Saix both turned at the same time, eyes narrowed, upper lip curled, and water dripping from Saix's book and their hair. Marluxia couldn't help his smile, but held back the snicker in his throat. So that was what happened.

That evening, everyone had effectively dried off, and were waiting on supper. Zexion and Demyx had gone exploring on the island, all of the kids were playing cards, meanwhile Xemnas, Saix and Lexaeus all attempted cooking. The sun was setting under the horizon, slathering everything in an orange hue. All the seagulls were flying away, parting with the islands for the night to return to their roosts elsewhere, the moon inching its way to take dominance in the sky and the ocean growing cooler, with still a warm, slow breeze caressing the palm trees now and then.

Marluxia had settled the flowers he'd picked into a vase on the table, brightening up the room slightly. Xaldin eyed them across the table. Marluxia kept rearranging certain flowers here and there, plucking a certain petal here and there, just so, until they would look right in his eyes. "Perfectionist?" Xigbar had to jokingly ask him, receiving a dull glare in response, and he added, "Do they have to be so, Flower-Boy?" and Marluxia replied, "Yes." Xaldin boredly looked out the window with his chin in his hand, Xigbar goading and chattering on to him about Luxord (lying immobile do to the burn), only Xaldin was more interested in the sunset.

Over at the counter in the kitchen, the trio were currently staring, rather stupefied, at the cookbook left there, unsure where to proceed, and Lexaeus shifted his gaze to the dining table, calling, "You three could get off your asses to stop playing with flowers and come help us!" Xigbar waved pleasantly back at him, to receive another scowl, and returned to looking at the sunset with Xaldin. Saix looked over his shoulder as well and scowled too.

Raye had ineffectively not learned how to play cards yet, and had given up trying to play with the others, and instead regarded her hand, the different symbols and figures. From all the sun earlier, she was getting drowsy, and nodded off against Namine's side, who put an arm around her in case. They were all playing a betting game of poker, which sadly Roxas was very terrible at playing... It seemed every time he played cards he always did very terribly. Luxord unfortunately was not there to help him, though, due to the sun burn, and alas Roxas was not the only one left to suffer.

"Where on earth did that damn Zexion go-?" Saix demanded as the frying pan was set aflame which he quickly covered. "He would surely be helpful right now." He fanned the stove.

"He and Demyx ran off to admire the flora," Xemnas answered, chopping up what looked like celery.

"Why should they be allowed to run off?" Lexaeus demanded. He was currently trying to sautee a dish and evade Saix's feeble attempts at the art of cooking while Saix tried to maintain his dignity.

Xemnas sighed. "You should ask them that."

"If they ever come back."

Suddenly a floom of flame arose again in a rush, and Saix cried out and ducked away. He splashed a tiny bit of sake onto the pan and was coming close to charring the recipe. Lexaeus and Xemnas turned to him, eyebrows arched and questioning gazes demanding. Saix looked the opposite of composed, not daring to touch anything else. "Maybe you should turn the heat down!" Lexaeus told him.

"It _is_," Saix said, pointing, and they looked at the dial on Low. Their eyes moved back to the pan. It flared up again and they inched away. Saix wasn't sure what the problem was until his eyes wandered and met those of his good old friend's Axel's. He locked their gazes, and Axel, leaning over the arm of the couch, candy canes (who knew where he found those, in a beach house) dangling out of his mouth and in between his fingers, returned the stare as well, curiousity piqued. He looked quite cheeky, in fact, and Saix looked pissed, so Axel quickly hid his other hand. Way to give away the bait.

"AXEL!" Saix called across the room, and Axel slunk down on the couch, trying to hide a growing grin. Everyone sitting down playing cards looked over, and everyone at the table, too. The tip of Saix's nose was singed, and Lexaeus and Xemnas even were a little harried because of Axel's tricky tinkering. And Axel knew what he had been doing, and now seeing the victim glaring at him, bristling and with the burnt nose... Axel started laughing.

"It's not funny!" Saix said firmly, and stomped over to continue his work. Axel cackled in the background to the sizzling of the pan, and Saix said, "You're not getting any; you can fend for yourself out on the palm trees." Lexaeus pointed a warning finger at Axel, who sent back the thumbs-up, and Roxas asked, "What is going on?" Xion shrugged, but she was smiling. Namine had given up the game, and held Raye in her lap.

A few minutes later, supper was finally coming along fine, and the sun had almost set completely behind the horizon of ocean, when Demyx along with Zexion burst through the sliding doors and exclaimed, "Guys! We found hot springs!"

Everyone turned to look. Xigbar walked up, stretching and asking, "What whats?"

Demyx was breathless. Zexion simply stood there, tan and resolute, examining one of Marluxia's flowers. Demyx repeated, "Hot springs. We found them not too far back in the woods, there are a whole bunch, even a waterfall; it's really cool! We have to go!" His eyes were alight like a little child's.

Xemnas sighed. "I suppose... but what about this?" He gestured to the food.

"After," Saix spoke up, and they looked to him. "We'll go to the hot springs after." Xemnas nodded, and Demyx jumped up in the air, crying, "Whoo!"

Xion and Namine were excited, too. "Hot springs!" They cried, and looked at each other and laughed. "I've never been to one!" Meanwhile Roxas was asking, "What's a hot spring?" and Axel was complaining, "Not more water..."

After the moon had risen, casting everything a blue hue with a clear amount of moonlight, and the troupe had all eaten they headed out to relax. Luxord declined the invitation, for indeed if he set his burnt body into the hot waters it was sure to give no enjoyment much less relaxation at all; so he was left to take care of Raye in the cabin. Everyone else set out with their towels and not much else.

Xion, Namine and Roxas were excited, just like little kids, running around and taking amongst themselves, "I've never been in a hot spring!" "Is it like a bath?" Demyx was leading the way, also happy since the minute he'd seen them. Eventually Zexion murmured, "I can hear the waterfall," and others were confused as they couldn't hear a thing. Larxene grumbled about trekking through the woods at night. Axel pestered Saix who could have been a more cheerful person knowing he would soon be neutered and have his eyeballs hand-removed rather than spend the next hour or two in a wild hot spring with this foolish "friend" of his.

Marluxia took his chances then whenever Larxene stumbled, holding his hand out for her to grab onto for balance; she seemed to deny even tripping up and refused his help. Vexen barked at the two of them for being slow, and Larxene snapped back at him, wishing he would accidentally walk into a tree or something. Xigbar started annoying everybody by walking upside-down in the tops of the trees and vines, stopping them up and having them to walk around him or change course. Once he even made Zexion fall flat on his face, and started guffawing. Whence Zexion got up he promptly yanked on Xigbar's hair and slammed him down to the ground. He received Lexaeus' nod of approval, which was his version of a high-five. Xigbar feigned indifference while he dusted himself off and Axel kicked him on the way by.

"Ah, look!" They heard Demyx's voice echo a slight bit ahead, and hurried up to see a splash and a pile of clothes and a large, large hot spring.

Someone gasped quiely (maybe Namine) as they took in the expanse of steamy water flowing from the mentioned waterfall, shiny and waiting, in a natural pool of rock. Demyx had resurfaced, smoothing back his hair with both hands as he kicked further away in the water and yelling, "What the hell are you standing gaping at? Get in!" The rest thought this was a good suggestion, and quickly separated into groups.

Soon the girls were standing on one side and all the other men to the opposite. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Xaldin said, "We'll take that area over there-"

"What?! Why do you get the biggest space? _And_ the waterfall?" Larxene demanded, putting a hand on her hip.

Xigbar put his hands together and pretended to be deep in thought. "Well, you see, Larxy, uh, there happens to be more of us." He looked up and spoke to her as if to a child. Larxene grit her teeth.

"So?"

"Just go," Saix ordered, lightly pushing her shoulder and almost sending her toppling backwards into Namine and Xion. Larxene pointed a finger in threat and then stomped off. Namine waved to Roxas, and then giddily headed off with Xion after Larxene.

The men padded off as well. Demyx was already out of sight behind a big boulder.

The pool was a large, wide expanse of hot spring water which continued on, though they couldn't see where, due to the steam. The second one who hopped in was Xigbar, who sighed happily and stretched before disappearing directly under the water. Soon Xemnas followed suite, and Axel, and Zexion and then eventually they all were far in enough to hear Demyx warbling off in the distance.

Roxas was squealing, holding his arms up high and hopping from foot to foot, and sooner or later Axel turned around to face him. "What?" he stated.

Roxas looked up at his friend with big, disdainful eyes. He whined, "It's _hot_."

"Well, yeah, what did you expect when you came into a _hot_ spring?" Axel asked. "Come on."

As they approached the waterfall, the rush of water became much louder and clearer. Hot water sprayed around whoever went close enough, namely Demyx, who was dancing around inside the gushing falls. Xaldin, Vexen and Lexaeus sat in the banks to the quieter side, regarding the fools approaching the waterfall, and the others who sat in the calmer water and either bathed themselves with hot water or simply immerse their bodies up to the chin. There was raucous activity, mostly from Roxas, who kept complaining about the heat and saying he was getting light-headed, and Axel no don't take me to the waterfall don't take me there. Saix was being conned into walking closer to the falls as well, but he gave the evil eye to Axel and proceeded to casually stand beside a body-length rock. Zexion was making designs in the water with leaves and Marluxia had found a lovely blossom tree which was shedding petals all over the water. Demyx was singing.

"_My pussy tastes like Pepsi-cola~"_ he warbled. Axel cupped his hands over his mouth and called, "Don't sing that, Dem!" and Demyx poked his head out through the water, plastering hair all over his face and cheeks. "You can kiss my lily white _butt_~!" Demyx answered, and turned around to show the second moon. Axel and Roxas made similar sounds as if having their kneecaps broken and nails pulled off very slowly, and shielded their eyes dramatically, falling back. Demyx strutted back into the water.

Marluxia had waded back into the pond, hands out, catching petals in his palms and observing the boys over at the waterfall. Axel had dunked himself and now was shaking his wet hair at Roxas, who threatened to beat his face in with his Keyblade. Personally Marluxia would have liked to see that happen. Roxas instead splashed water at Axel, whose eyelids spasmed in annoyance. Then proceeded the water fight which Demyx ultimately would win.

Saix examined a petal in his hands, and a breeze made it flutter away. The direction which Saix's eyes followed the petal went down a path of the water in between the marshy forest surrounded by trees and steam. Saix knew no one would care that he went off on his own, so he headed off on the small path in waist-height water.

When Saix looked up, he had a straight view of the midight sky, filled with stars, which the steam rose up to, evaporating. It was quiet there, and the sounds from the men's pool faded away as he went further and further out.

He could see the moon. It was strange; different, a different moon, not the one he was used to. Not Kingdom Hearts.

When Saix looked ahead again he came to a halt. There was another figure in the pool a few yards away from him, standing in the middle of the path, staring at him. They were not bothering to cover themselves up, and peering through the steam Saix could see just who it was.


	21. The Beach, Part 2

When Xion, Namine and Larxene had reached their side of the pools, they were eager to get in and didn't want to wait any more than they had to. Basically what I'm trying to say is they slipped right in the water, leaving their clothes and towels back on the banks, sighing in contentment as the hot springs enveloped their bodies and cloaked them with a soft buzzing of pleasure.

There were figurations of rocks in perfect circles, or ovals, so one could sit in complete privacy and enjoy the quiet. None of them could hear the waterfall anymore, they had gone too far away by then. It was nice, though, the quiet, the only sounds being the singing of crickets and the rippling of water.

At first Namine and Xion had uttered squeals of pleasure as their bare bodies felt the water, and now they never wanted to get out. They headed further into the water now, going deeper up to their necks, and finding comfortable seats made into the rocks from nature all by itself. Larxene rolled her eyes, smiling, as she listened to their happy exclaims, and headed away by herself. There was exploring to do, and she didn't want to do it with them.

Xion and Namine didn't even care that Larxene was going off on her own, and they let her be. They were busy trying not to fall asleep in the relaxation that came with this experience. Strangely, they found each other's company was not unenjoyable, and could bear it; it wasn't bad, and so they realized, and the two got along for once, if timid.

Larxene headed away down the path by herself, all sound now gone. Just her and the night. She continued for a while, starting to think that this path went nowhere, until suddenly movement up ahead caught her eye and she froze. But she saw it was a person, and what she saw made her slowly smile.

Saix stood in the water hip-deep, staring across at her. Larxene stood staring back at him, her arms at her sides and all exposed for the worlds to see. Eventually Saix made a move to turn around, but Larxene called softly, "Oh, no," and he changed his mind, raising an eyebrow critically.

She started slowly making her way to him, like an animal stalking prey. He didn't need to be modest, didn't want to be; she saw his eyes flickering up and down her approaching figure. "Why, a wandering puppy seems to be looking for something," Larxene commented. "What could it be?"

Saix closed his eyes as soon as she stood directly in front of him, stopping all movement and settling the water around them both. He answered, "It buried something somewhere, and it's trying to sniff it out again." Larxene looked down, across the water, debating whether to lift a hand and skim her fingers across his chest. He opened his eyes and looked over her head. "But it can't seem to remember what it was that it hid away."

"Maybe some sort of memory..." Larxene purred, looking up into his eyes. He glanced down at her.

"What about you?" he asked instead, reaching up to push hair back from his colleague's neck. "You seem to be looking for something, as well."

Larxene shrugged lightly, eyeing him levelly and saying smoothly, "I thought I knew, but it's gone now." Saix leaned over and took in the scent of her neck. She shut her eyes as his other hand wrapped around her hip, and he pressed her into him.

Axel was the first image that popped into her mind. Larxene wondered as the other man's lips were on her that maybe it was not such a good idea, the position she was in. Axel was not so far away, probably wondering what Larxene was doing, enjoying her bathe, and probably kicking back with the men and relaxing for once and not worrying about anything... especially not worrying about her being with another man. But she just couldn't focus on that, or on anything, only think of lifting her hands and grasping Saix's back and feeling him respond, both of their breaths quickening in pace as they struggled to contain themselves and not dissolve into the water, finding the soft bank of the hot spring.

Saix neither was worrying about being found out, about doing an act so cruel to his former best friend, but he could not worry about that anyway since their friendship was one that had faded away a while ago, despite what the two may have wished to still have.

Saix was not thinking of anything except pressing the woman onto the spring's edge, and entering into a soft and warm and small space of oblivion he could claim for only such a short while. He knew only pleasure and dominance, and rythm and pattern, so long gotten but familiar. Larxene could not afford thoughts of Axel, of it not being his hands on her back, pressing her into the mud and moss; not him inside her, panting near her ear; it was not his doing for her to be laying bent over the bank of a hot spring in the water, gasping into the ground. Not him. Could that have been for a reason?

But no time for thinking of that. Time was short, and precious for this one thing, and maybe two lost persons had just found what they were looking for. That wasn't so bad, was it?

No time, no time...

* * *

"Larxene has been gone for a bit..." Xion said. "Do you think she got lost?"

"That," Namine replied, "Would be the least of her worries. And mine, for that matter." She was laying back with her eyes closed, peacefully on a rock. It was not uncomfortable.

"True." Xion sat her chin on her knees, pulled up to her chest. She felt insecure around Namine, especially in such a situation as this. It had mostly been quiet, with the two of them chattering for a bit, though otherwise they sat soaking up the warmth and silence. They had no idea how much time had passed, though they wouldn't mind staying in the hot pools for eternity.

Namine sighed softly. "Can we just stay on this island forever?" she asked. Xion looked up, as she was not sure if Namine was asking her or being rhetorical. "I wish," Xion answered, and Namine smiled.

Namine slowly sat up, pulling all her hair over her left shoulder and looking at Xion. "It would definitely be nice."

"I'm so happy we're at least getting a break from the Castle," Xion said. Namine nodded empthatically.

"At least you get a change of scenery once in a while," Namine told her. Xion blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you get to go to different worlds, see different things every day," Namine looked at Xion wistfully. "Me, I... I've always just lived in Castles, white and bleak and sterile." She shook her head, looking uncertain. "I don't even know what purpose I serve."

Xion wasn't sure what to say. "I think I know what you mean... at least about that last part."

They both gazed into the water. "It's good that we're on the same page," Namine agreed, and Xion laughed. It made Namine smile.

* * *

Back in the jungle Larxene and Saix lay against the soft river bed's edge, out of breath but resuming composure. Saix had stood up again, washing himself off in the very tiny current of the water. Larxene had turned onto her back, and was gazing at him from the side. He paused for a few beats until he turned back to look at her. She had the softest glint in her eyes which he couldn't identify, so only stared back at her quizically. She looked up at the stars, which had finally shown themselves. She was exhausted.

"We won't tell anyone of this," Saix told her. Larxene glanced at him. "It will never have been." His tone and facial expression made it so he wanted her to agree with him. Larxene smirked.

"What about we meet later tonight, down in the forest a ways down from the cabin?" she suggested instead. To satisfaction Saix's eyes lit up in the slightest.

"Deal," he agreed. "When?"

They agreed on a time and parted ways without another look or acknowledgement, both heading back to their designated pools.

* * *

Saix returned to a lax convene, most of the men gathered in a demi-circle and talking. He stumbled back to them and Xigbar uttered, "Ehh! Saix!"with an open arm of greeting. Saix just nodded to them, avoiding specific gazes, and took a dignified seat next to Zexion, who was nodding off. "You missed the best conversations, bud," Xigbar told him. "It was so interesting."

"Now you'll never know why Demyx has a scar on his inner thigh," Xaldin added. A couple of them chattered enthusiastically, and Saix murmured, "I don't want to know," swirling the water with his hand. They laughed.

"It's actually the most amazing story," Demyx explained.

"_I don't want to know,_" repeated Saix. More chuckles.

There was an exclaimation and they looked over their shoulders to see Marluxia struggling in a tangle of vines - not his own. He thrashed and eventually was free only with one stuck in his hair. Frowning, Marluxia tugged at the vine, not wanting to rip it out. Axel started laughing at him along with Xigbar, and Marluxia glared at them. "I can't ruin my hair," he told.

Axel stood up. "I can't stay in this pool," he informed them. "It's getting contaminated with gayness." Marluxia uttered something unkind.

"Will someone help me?" Marluxia whined, trying to disassemble as gently as he could the vine from his soft hair. "It's already bad enough with all the steam in the air."

"I know," Axel said, "It's making your hair all wavy. It's so cute."

"I will come over and wring your neck," Marluxia informed him.

"Is that some kind of sex threat?" Axel asked. He hid behind Xemnas, saying, "Help me, I'm about to be violated." Xemnas frowned back at him.

"I can't get it out," Marluxia started whining. Demyx chuckled.

"That's what she said," Demyx stated. Marluxia hissed, and kept tugging (now I can't stop thinking of this as a dirty conversation...), uttering expletives.

"Somebody help me!"

"It's just a vine, Marly," Xigbar told him. "It's not going to hurt you."

"Or your hair..." Vexen muttered.

"None of you understand," Marluxia told them, finally untangling it gently from his hair, and smoothing it out.

"No, I don't think you understand," Xigbar said. "We _are_ all men here, right?"

"You guys, there's nothing wrong with liking to take care of your hair," Demyx informed them all, accenting his statement to touch on his own. "Just because someone takes pride in something about themself does not mean there is anything wrong or different about them." He nodded wisely.

"Wow, Dem, I've never heard you say that many words in one sitting!" Xigbar complimented, laughing. Demyx frowned playfully. "Should someone write that down?"

"I was serious," Demyx replied. "Were any of you listening at all?"

"I was," Marluxia said, walking up. "And you are absolutely right." He turned to the only red head among them. "I mean, you understand, don't you, Axel?"

Axel shrugged. "Sure, but I don't fret about keeping myself pristine 24/7. I don't moisturize my hands twice a day and wear lip gloss and-"

"Shut up," Marluxia grumbled, taking a seat. "Or you won't even have hands."

"Damn," Axel said, as if it was just a minor nuisance. "I really like having hands. They help me." He lifted them up to examine them.

"I'd rather not know what they help you with," Marluxia commented, rolling his eyes.

Axel growled. "It makes you hot at night."

Xemnas scoffed and rolled his eyes as well. Marluxia frowned in annoyance at the pyromaniac who was making biting sounds.

"All the heat has gone to your brain," Xaldin said. Xigbar agreed.

"It is perfectly fine to flaunt your sexual identity," Demyx said. "Right, Marly?"

"I can go buy you a Speedo right now if you want," Marluxia said to Axel.

"Yay, we can go shopping for them together," Axel agreed.

"Fuck off."

Axel pretended to be hurt.

"This is what happens when you spend a decade with men, and only men," Xigbar said.

Saix sighed.

"That's actually quite interesting, the fact that none of us ever brought this up among each other," Xaldin said.

"Bring what up?" Vexen asked.

"Our sexuality."

"Good riddance," Xigbar commented.

"It is interesting," Demyx agreed.

"I think, though, that it is very obvious with some of us," Marluxia said, glancing slyly at Axel, who cocked an eyebrow in response.

"Come, now - you can't always know. Are any of you here gay?" Demyx abruptly blurted.

They all stared at him.

"_What?" _he demanded. "Simple question -"

"No, not simple," Xigbar said. "Sometimes awkward." He raised his eyebrows and nodded.

Demyx sloshed water around. "Well, I was just wondering..."

"So what?" Xigbar said. "Half of us would probably lie anyway."

"Like you?" Saix asked him.

"Yes, about being _not straight._"

"Not everyone is straight, you know," Vexen informed him, as if to a child. Xigbar held one finger above the water and said, "Guess which finger this is?"

Axel sighed and sunk down into the water up to his chin. "Seriously, though..." he said, "it would be nice if there were at least some more girls to go around."

There was a pause. "What?" a voice said, and Roxas peeked from around one of the rocks, wading towards the group. "Are you saying you would ditch Larxene?" A few of them looked towards Axel expectantly, who was now overwhelmed.

"Sheesh, I'm just saying," he told them. "I mean, you know what I'm saying, right?"

"No, but we would like to know," Vexen said. "If there was another choice, Larxene would not be it?" Marluxia was gazing at Axel in wait for his response.

"Um..." Axel glanced around. "I don't know."

"Well, how about this: would you be upset if Larxene got taken away by someone else?" Vexen asked.

Axel looked into the water. "I guess not... since it's happened a lot."

There was another pause for a few moments. Saix cleared his throat and said, "Oh well. It doesn't matter, anyway."

Axel glanced up at his old friend. Saix wasn't looking at him, and his expression was impassive. "True," Xigbar agreed, and Demyx sighed. Xemnas was gazing into the sky.

* * *

Xion glanced up when she heard something to the left of her. Namine sleepily opened her eyes. "Larxene," Xion shyly acknowledged the woman moving toward the two of them. Larxene gave a small nod. "Are we leaving?" she asked the two of them. Namine yawned.

"I guess so," Namine said. "I could use a soft bed after this. Besides, we can come back."

"Yeah," Xion agreed, getting up from her seat to head toward the banks for her clothes.

"I'm kind of hungry now."

Larxene had already made it back to the land and was pulling on her shirt and shorts. _I feel like having a bite of some ass..._ she thought to herself. Then she quickly glanced back at the two girls, as if worried they could read her thoughts or something.

The three marched back the way they came, not entirely sure which way to go. "Where are those men?" Larxene demanded. "They could really help us about now."

"And we can't use our dark corridors at the moment," Xion sighed. "Are you sure _you_ can't, Namine?"

"I'll try," the other girl said, and try she did, but nothing came of it. She sighed in disappointment too.

"ROXAS!" Xion started screaming. "AXEL!"

Namine and Larxene jumped, startled. Xion continued yelling. "ROXAAAS! AXEEEEL! AXE-"

Larxene clapped a hand over Xion's mouth, who widened her eyes in surprise. "Shut up. Stop yelling Axel's name; I'm the one who's good at that." She took her hand away to cup them at her mouth. Xion and Namine exchanged looks. "AXEL!"

The three of them started yelling the names of the rest of their troupe in attempts of not camping out in the creepy forest-jungle place. They had forgotten which way to go, and were not hearing any signs of life besides night animals and whatever else may be lurking.

"We're gonna die out here," Xion wailed.

"We're gonna wait until daylight out here," Namine corrected, before going back to wailing Roxas's name.

"HURRY THE FUCK UP AND SAVE US, BASTARDS!" Larxene roared, and the very next second there was a crash and Xigbar accompanied by Axel appeared through the canopy of leaves.

"What the hell are you screaming about? God..." Xigbar said, rubbing his temple. "We could hear you for miles. I wouldn't be surprised if the next world heard you."

"Finally," Larxene said. She avoided Axel's eyes. More of the group were coming through the undesignated path, and Saix too was someone she should not look at.

They continued back, following Xigbar until they broke through the trees and other plants and saw the beach house. There were few lights on inside and it was quiet save the sea coast shushing against the sand.

The group trudged back inside the cabin, wanting to collapse on the ground and never get up.

Namine and Roxas lingered behind the rest of them. Namine was gazing out at the sea.

"Isn't it pretty?" she murmured. Roxas blinked and looked at her and then the ocean.

"Yeah," he agreed. "But I can't decide which one is more beautiful." Namine and Roxas smiled at each other and clasped hands.

"Come on, lovebirds!" Axel called to them from the deck. Roxas sneered back at him and he with Namine went back into the cabin.

* * *

It was still warm even with the windows open. _What time is it?_ Demyx asked himself as he rolled over onto his stomach, kicking the sheet off of his sweat covered body in a vain attempt to cool himself off. He groaned and sat up.

There was no sound except the ocean outside and the soft breathing from Luxord, Roxas and Zexion in the room around him, sleeping. Demyx envied them, for he found it hard to sleep and he was also not used to sharing a room.

Demyx looked out the window. The moon was shining across the water and illuminating everything a pale blue. Hmm... Maybe a midnight swim? Or three a.m swim, or whatever time it was? The idea was appealing, and it might cool him off.

Demyx decided he may as well get up while he was awake anyway.

Wandering into the kitchen he found a half-filled bottle of rum and made a sound of appreciation. He went to the porch to examine the water and assess the status. Demyx tossed back a bit of the rum and something caught his eye. He brought the bottle down slowly and looked into the blue dark.

There was someone walking outside as well, but he was pretty sure they had seen him. Demyx got a little worried. "Hello?" he hissed. The figure seemed to reluctantly approach him.

"Evening, X-Fa- ah, Saix," Demyx said in a low voice. "Why are...?"

Saix's features were illuminated dully and the moon had cast shadows across his face. "I couldn't sleep," he answered.

"Me neither!" Demyx said, as if this was a fancy coincidence.

"Really," Saix muttered, and began to turn away.

"Where you heading?" Demyx asked, immediately following and forcing Saix to stop.

"I... decided I may as well take a walk," Saix replied, desperately wishing Demyx hadn't been awake, much less outside.

"I wanted to take a swim, but a walk is good, too."

Saix sighed. "I would prefer to be _alone_."

Demyx sighed to himself as well and drank again. "Are you sure? Do you want some of this, by the way?" he held out the bottle.

Saix frowned at Demyx. "Could you just go inside?" he snapped.

"Sheesh, someone's in a hurry... Wait," Demyx began, peering suspiciously at his superior. "How come I have to...?"

Saix grit his teeth. Oopsie.

Demyx then shook his head. "Ah, well. It's fine. You go enjoy your walk, now."

Saix uneasily watched as Demyx made his way back inside and wandered off into the woods as to seem casual and non suspecting.

* * *

Saix backtracked to his meeting-place with Larxene. She was waiting for him in a tiny clearing of sand ringed by palm trees on the beach, looking expectant. He hurried toward her to get started.

"I didn't bring any condoms," she warned him.

"Neither did I," he said wryly.

After a few seconds of gnawing on each other's mouths she pulled apart and said, "Didn't expect you would need them, eh?" and grinned.

"I had thought those days were long gone," he answered.

Soon they had sunken down onto the sand and were prepared to go for it, when Larxene added, "Well, you better savor this, then," before they plunged into oblivion.


	22. The Beach, Part 3

**OH MY GOD I FINALLY AM BACK**

**IM SO SORRY!**

**let me explain. **

**So I have been working on this chapter for the last long while and for some reason I'm having a lot of trouble writing ANYTHING and its so annoying :( So it took me a while to finally get it done. Plus idk why it took so long... but anyway ITS HERE FINALLY** HERE!

**i got a kairi outfit :D its kind of weird looking and my friends mom is gonna help me fit it good and i am dying my hair red anyway sooo it should look good ! also i have a xion outfit. except for the wig, but im gots a keyblade and it makes me feel awesomeeeees**

**have a funny thing. my friend called larxene a 'not nice lady' lmao idk why its funny. and my other friend suggested ideas to help me write this chap and she was like "you should have the hungover guy throw up on the sunburnt guy. " and i was lik wtf. lol that would hurtt D: lmao why this funny **

**oh yeah. do any of you have tumblr. because theres like nobody who ships larxel or likes it probably as much as i do. and i f you guys do. we should be friends. now i dont want to casually give out my tumblr url.. and i doubt any of you would either.. so for now unless you want to actually send me a message well maybe you already follow me! :) yeaah.**

**and yes i know all about dream drop distance but for those of you who dont i wont put any spoileerrs innn. hmm... idk what to say. so FUCKIN enJOY I SHALL TRY AND UPDATE SOUUNER I LOVe U ALL**

* * *

_**Oh! She looked so familiar... like someone she had seen... Not Namine... someone else. **_

* * *

When Demyx woke again it was at the proper time in the morning, sunlight filtering through the window onto his body. It was not pleasant, though; he groaned and covered his throbbing skull. "How much did you drink last night?" Zexion was asking him. There was a definite grin in his voice. Demyx made a moaning sound in response and didn't make any move to get up.

Roxas was stirring to the smells of food coming from the kitchen down the hall, and besides that the rest of his roomies were being noisy and disruptive. Voices chattered in undistinguishable patterns around the cabin; Roxas made out the distinct laughter of Xion - or was it Namine? Probably Namine. He wondered what she could be laughing about."I'll make you some coffee," Zexion informed Demyx. He left the room while Roxas trailed along behind, although Roxas' destination was the bathroom, not the kitchen. Raye was running around in the hall and Roxas almost stepped on her.

"Good morning, Zexy," Axel greeted him when he entered, on a hunt for the coffee pot in the well-stocked kitchen. "Good morning, Axel," Zexion replied politely. It was shirtless Xigbar attempting to fry eggs on the stove while Xaldin made much more progress with his which was the source of beautiful smells. Zexion glanced at them from the corner of his eye. "That is edible, yes?" he asked them.

"Have faith, Zexion," Xaldin said. "What do your eyes see?"

"I don't know," Zexion replied, carrying away his coffee pot. "That is why I am asking you; I don't want to take any chances."

"But that's what life's all about," Xaldin answered.

"As I said, I don't take chances."

"Lighten up," said Axel. "Food is food."

"Amen." Xigbar raised his spatula.

It was at this time that Demyx had stumbled into the kitchen, sitting on the barstool, holding his head.

"Hey, hangover boy," Xigbar cheered, being extra-loud for the sake of it. Demyx groaned in annoyance. "How are you this morning, drunkard?"

"Fuck off," he uttered. "Give me coffee."

"Zexy's on it," Axel informed him. "It shouldn't be too long."

"Want some eggs?" Xaldin asked.

Moaning in response.

"We should hide the tequila," Xigbar muttered aside. Nods of agreement.

Roxas stumbled into the room, hair a mess. "Morning," Xion said in a chirpy voice. He smiled lazily to sit with her on the couch. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine," he answered mid-yawn. "But I sure could use more."

Xion giggled. "I hear you."

"Where's Namine?"

Xion shrugged. "Sleeping..." she lacked interest. "I would think."

"Breakfast," Axel called over, spinning in his barstool. He wagged his eyebrows at the two of them. "Lovebirds."

"Stop saying that," Roxas said, frowning. Axel made a face while Xion only laughed again.

"Do you want the food or not?" Xigbar cried.

"Yes, hurry up before we eat it all,"Axel said, spinning around again.

Xion and Roxas made their way to be served while Zexion poured Demyx a cup of coffee. Demyx thankfully tore it out of Zexion's grip then carefully sipped it.

"How does swimming in the bright sunlight sound right now?" Axel asked himself. Demyx gave him the deadliest glare he had ever given.

"That sounds fine to me," Xion replied anyway. "It's really nice out. Maybe I could find some nice seashells."

"Maybe later," Roxas said tiredly. "Come on," Xion urged, bumping him with her elbow. Roxas bumped her back.

Namine walked into the kitchen barefoot with Raye hopping along behind her. "Smells good," Namine noted as she took a seat next to Roxas, who smiled at her. He moved his plate over so they could share.

"Anybody know where Honeybee is?" Axel was asking.

"Don't you mean Queen Hornet?" Xigbar demanded.

"Either or." Axel yawned. "So?"

"Don't know, don't care," gurgled Demyx. His head was hung low as he appeared to have no desire to be alive at the moment. "Uggh."

"Cheer up," Zexion told him, and someone snickered.

Raye begged to be lifted, so Xion picked her up onto her lap. "Do you want to take a walk with me today?" Xion asked her.

"Maybe," Raye answered.

"Maybe yes or maybe no?"

"Maybe," again.

Xion sighed.

"Watch her follow you anyway," Roxas said. Xion chuckled. Then Roxas turned back to Namine to discuss something about a picnic.

It was at this time that Marluxia came into the kitchen in search of the coffee. "Morning, Flowers," Xigbar greeted him cherfully. Marly sent him a look while pouring his drink. "Hope everything turned out alright with your hair," Xigbar added.

"I have a hot beverage," Marluxia threatened.

"That I see." Xigbar took a gulp of his own coffee brew.

Marluxia rolled his eyes and walked away to sit at the table by the sliding doors.

"Any sign of life from Lux?" Xigbar asked Zexion, who shrugged. Xigbar then contemplated Demyx. "Now, would you rather have a horrendous sunburn, or horrific hangover?"

"Go away," moaned Demyx.

Xion giggled.

Namine and Roxas both began putting away their breakfast dishes as more people began to put together what one would call a breakfast. Axel traded with Xion the child in her lap and began to force Raye to eat something. Demyx hid away in his room again with Luxord. Xemnas eventually emerged, glancing around at all of them going about their business.

Namine had to stop in the bathroom but she noticed the door was closed. She reached out and gently shook the handle; it was locked.

"Occupied!" a voice snapped out from inside. Namine quickly shied away from the door.

Larxene was inside, staring in the mirror at her body. It was in good shape: of course now it would never look quite the same since Raye had come along, but Larxene thought she had done a pretty good job at remaking her figure. Presently, she had a few marks on her skin - hickeys, on her collarbone and a few near her thighs. No bikinis today.

She refused to think about how she had even gotten the hickeys, anyway. Maybe she would think of it as some form of a one-night stand, and forget it ever happened.

With this plan set, Larxene first went about her ritual of taking a pregnancy test, although she knew she wouldn't need it. She used one anyway, and of course it showed up as negative. Sighing, Larxene then went about her morning duties and went out of the washroom.

Demyx sighed to himself as he saw who walked in. Ignoring everyone, Larxene walked through like she owned the place, very relieved that Saix wasn't around. "Hi, mommy," Raye chirped from the counter. Larxene jumped a little. "Hi," she muttered back absently. Hers and Axel's eyes met for a second and he raised his eyebrows in question.

Ignoring him, Larxene carried a glass of ice water over to the table with Marluxia, who seemed pleasantly surprised at her choice of seating. She didn't say anything or look at him, just stared at the window, sucking on a piece of ice.

Roxas was digging around inside the fridge. After a bit of rummaging around he pulled out and held up a martini glass with a gummy worm, a balloon, and another unknown secretion inside. His face was a question mark. Axel held his hands up and shrugged.

Roxas put it back and went back on his quest for actual foods. "Where are you going to have your picnic?" Xion was asking as she put away her dishes.

Roxas considered. "Maybe over there," he said, pointing in the other direction from where they had all been on the beach the day before. Xion nodded. "Why?" Roxas asked.

"Just so I know so I won't bother you," she said, smiling. "If I go and collect seashells."

"Oh," Roxas said. "Thanks. That's nice of you."

"No problem."

"Can I go?" Raye asked then. Roxas and Xion looked over to her, about to explain. Axel said something in her ear, and she shut her mouth. Roxas and Xion exchanged a look.

Namine walked into the kitchen. "Rox, I got a blanket and some towels."

Axel's eyebrows raised high. "A blanket?" he demanded. "Towels? What do you two plan on doing on this picnic, if you don't mind me asking?"

Namine sent him a playful glare. "Not each other, if that's what you want to know. The blanket is to sit on, the towels are for if we go in the water."

Roxas shook his head and said, "All that is going to happen is eating."

Axel folded his arms.

Namine hit Roxas in the middle. His face was slowly getting red as he realized."Oh, I mean, um - nononono! Eating food, you know. Not..." He glanced at Namine.

Axel was smiling. Xion looked distressed. "Whatever. It's okay to experiment, young'uns," the redhead said.

Namine went back to packing as Roxas gave his friend another shake of the head; Axel was grinning at him.

"What's happening?" Xigbar asked, confused, as he came back into the vicinity.

"Picnic," Roxas accentuated.

Xigbar looked at him for a second, concerned. "Increasing your vocabulary every day, aren't ya, kiddo?"

Roxas slumped his shoulders and shook his head again at Axel.

"I am not involved in this one," Axel said.

Over at the table, Larxene was asking Marluxia in a low voice, "Have you seen Saix?" Marluxia frowned.

"Why?"

He placed an arm around the back of her chair and began to massage the back of her neck. She was glancing around apprehensively. "Just wondering," she muttered moodily.

Axel noticed their little exchange, and what Marly was doing, and bristled.

"Tense," Marluxia commented. Larxene gave a grunt in return, glaring out the window and allowing herself to receive treatment. He knew better than to say anything else.

* * *

"Daddy, can we take a walk too?"

"You can," Axel replied absentmindedly, shading his eyes.

"I don't want to go alone."

"Hmm."

Raye kicked his leg. Hard.

"Ow!" Axel looked down. "What the hell?"

She had crossed her arms and looked very grumpy; for a split second Axel couldn't help but wonder if she had gained the expression from Larxene, or him. "Lazy ass," she grumbled.

"Raye," Axel sighed in exasperation. He nudged her with his leg for her to go away.

Xion came over. She was wearing a sun hat and shades, along with her twin piece suit wth polka dots. Axel gratefully acknowledged her.

"You want to walk now, eh?" Xion said to Raye, kneeling down.

"Yeah, but he doesn't," Raye said, glaring up at her dad. He rolled his eyes.

"I'll take her," Xion offered.

"Please, do," Axel replied.

Xion took Raye's hand and forced her to trudge along beside her with a bucket for shells, while Xion excitedly mentioned how these islands were the best for collecting. Raye's attitude didn't change much.

Now that Moody No. 2 was out of his hair, Axel strolled down the beach to find her co-creator. Larxene had been acting strange, which was strange for him to notice.

The sun was extremely bright that day, sparkling off the water. Hopefully a ginger like him wouldn't turn into a lobster.

Namine and Roxas had already left for their picnic together. Demyx and Luxord were together healing themselves inside where there was A/C and shade. Axel had seen no sign of Saix all day. Zexion was reading out on the beach again while Xigbar, Xaldin and Lexaeus were digging a giant hole in the sand; for what, he had no idea. Axel kicked the ground. Larxene's probably inside. But he made no move to go back to the beach house, yet.

* * *

Xion and Raye had found a little inlet which was filled with washed-up things: bottles, jewelry, garbage, sea creatures, and of course, seashells. Xion tried to get Raye to focus her attention on the task, but Raye had only gathered a few before wandering off in her own little toddler world. Xion let her be, getting some nice finds and expecting to be out for a good amount of time. She glanced up periodically to make sure she had her eye on Raye.

"Look at this one," she called out to the girl. Raye was still disinterested.

A few minutes later Xion looked up again to see plain white sand. And plain white sand. She looked around.

"Raye?" she called.

She knew she had been there just a second ago... "Raye," she called again.

Getting up, Xion started to make her way down the fringe of the forest, down the way Raye had been walking, calling out for her periodically. After awhile, Xion began to get really worried. What if Raye was lost? She imagined the worst, and her own fate as well.

"Raaaa-aaaaye!" Xion yelled. "Where did you go?"

* * *

Larxene was in one of the other beach houses. Their entourage was split up among the three houses there for sleeping space, and she was in her cabin, along with the other girls, although they weren't there right now. It was much cooler in this beach house because she had forcibly cranked the air conditioning. Larxene sat on the rim of one of the bath tubs (the biggest one) with a towel wrapped around herself, right leg extended to drag a razor across the pale skin.

The window was open, with a very light breeze flowing through but just enough so it was comfortable. She had no idea whose cabins these had once been, but everything worked perfectly fine. The bath water was just filling up quietly into the basin.

Soon Larxene found herself staring ahead at the wall. She had no idea for how long, but snapped herself out of it. The water had not risen that high, but the shaving foam on her leg was drying and getting itchy so Larxene decided to redo the whole thing.

As she rinsed off her calf with warm water, Larxene took the time to wonder about the men. She now had Saix to deal with, as well as Marluxia and Axel. Axel seemed to be comfortable with the idea of having domain on Larxene's body if not her mind for the next long while - however long that would be. Marluxia was just confused about the whole thing that was happening but only reserved a bit of hope for himself and the possibility of being with Larxene, although that wasn't much hope. And now Saix... he could probably care less about the whole situation. It was a fling! she told herself.

During her thoughts and among the gurgling of the water filling the bath she was startled by the person who opened the door, and her head shot up, glaring at Axel. "What the fuck?" she demanded in outrage.

He frowned at her, leaning against the door. "Calm down," he said. She angrily went back to applying shaving cream on her foreleg. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like, asshat," she snapped, swirling the razor in the water before applying it to her leg.

He sighed, letting his eyes examine the room. "You're all alone," the redhead observed. "Don't you want to socialize?"

"Apparently not," she said, sending him a hint with her eye. Now go away.

Axel walked into the bathroom. "What is the matter with you lately?" he asked in genuine interest, looking over at her as he picked up a little tin on the dressing table.

Larxene let the shaving razor tap against the marble a bit louder than necessary. "Does it matter?" she asked.

"I'm curious," he said, opening the tin to examine its contents. Flowers. Marluxia must have been in here.

"Well," she said, looking for a word. "Great."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you going to leave now?" Larxene snapped, looking up.

Axel instead sat on the opposite edge of the tub. "Look, you never talk to me. Or even touch me." He looked at her for want of explanation.

She curled her upper lip a bit. "Deal with it, kid."

He sighed, slowly picking off petals and letting them float in the water.

Larxene continued to shave quickly, deciding she would just leave the bath to leave the situation.

"I'm just wondering what the reason for it is," Axel murmured. Larxene stopped so abruptly what she was doing that she nicked herself.

"What?" she asked sharply.

He looked up and leaned over so he could talk to her directly. "Is there a certain reason you're acting all zombiefied?" he said sternly.

"No, God," she said, as if offended, and examined her new wound.

"It's not because of the-"

"If you're talking about that stupid baby dying inside of me, then no," she burst loudly at him. He seemed taken aback. "So just fuck off already!"

Axel ripped off more petals. "You're getting angry about it."

Larxene slammed her hand on the bath's edge. "No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are," he stated firmly.

"I'm fucking mad because you won't let it go," she yelled.

Axel glared back at her, although deep inside he never realized that maybe her words were true. "What about you?!" he yelled back.

Larxene shook her head angrily and went back to tending the stinging red slash on her shin.

"Address the issue," he said, exasperated, getting up and pacing.

"You address the fucking issue."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm trying to."

"Oh I see - I'm the problem here," Larxene said snidely.

Axel stuck his hands in his pockets and looked out the window.

Larxene cussed under her breath and moved her leg under the stream of water, and then remembered all the hickeys. She quickly drew her leg back and adjusted the towel. Axel turned back around, looking annoyed. Larxene ignored him, instead finishing her business efficiently to turn off the water and then move to pull out the plug. Axel's hand caught her wrist before she could grab it though. She glared up at him, questioning eyes demanding.

"What are you doing?" he said.

"Draining it," she muttered.

"Why?" he sighed.

She struggled to free her hand. "I don't want a bath anymore."

"That's quite a waste," he commented lightly.

Larxene hissed. "Let go!"

Axel tightened his grip and stared hard at her face. "Why do you have such an issue with me?"

I fucked your best friend, was the thought that rose to the surface of her mind. Larxene continued trying to escape his vise and said nothing. You made me have a baby,she thought. And then again. But that didn't work out so well, did it.

He yanked on her arm, and she stopped and met his smoldering eyes. "Just tell me," Axel said in such a low voice that it barely carried between the minute space between them. Larxene planted her feet firmly and stared him down.

After an aching silence she finally asked, "Why do you even care?"

Axel loosened his grip slightly and pulled her body against his own, letting out a long, heavy sigh. Larxene stayed stiff as he put his forehead against hers. She'd asked a good question; Axel didn't even know if he had the answer to it. While she waited for his response, Larxene's eyes drifted to the flower petals bobbing in the water, contrasting against the pale white tub with their tropical colours.

"I don't know," Axel whispered honestly. "I can't say why." He held her very close then, tightly, and she was surprised at the same time irritated. "I didn't expect things to turn out this way," he said.

"What - ?" Larxene began, but at that moment, the door opened again and they turned, pulling apart slightly. Marluxia stared back at them, choosing his words and debating stepping out to have a little seething session from glimpsing their little reunion moment.

"Am I interrupting?" he dead panned, getting ready to close the door again. Axel was the one who let go first, giving up and making his way to the doorway where Marluxia made room for him.

"Not at all," Axel muttered, glancing back at Larxene, who still look displeased. "I'll leave."

As Axel went to his word, Marluxia entered the room himself, giving her a sharp look reading, And what was that all about? closing the door behind him.

Larxene just glared and shook her head, stomping around the tub. Her companion leaned against the double sink counter as he asked, "What did he want?"

"I'm not sure," she answered snippily, putting away her things in her night bag angrily. "Stupid fuck," she muttered under her breath. Marluxia made an exhale as he noticed his flowers floating around in the tub. "Nice touch," he commented on it.

She eventually realized what he was talking about and gave it half a glance. "Yeah, sure," she said carelessly, touching the water. It was still warm and only half-filled.

"I've just been wondering, why are you having a bath when there are perfectly good hot springs outside?" Marluxia asked carefully.

Larxene didn't want to admit she had been thinking the same thing so instead simply gave him the finger, which was much easier. She heard him sigh very quietly.

"I'll be out there," he finally told her, getting up to leave. Larxene didn't care to nod, but waited until she heard him walk down the hall to sit down on the edge of the tub again and stare straight ahead and think.

She overturned Axel's previous words. Didn't expect things to turn out this way - what things? What way? Larxene couldn't or wouldn't figure out what he had meant to say by that. Probably just some sentimental bullshit that he said just to make her feel better. Because her mood could get any better.

Larxene sat there for a while, losing track of time again. She jumped a little when the door creaked open for the third time, but this time the visitor was a surprise, pleasant or not.

"What do you want?" she said. Saix leaned against the door frame, gazing at her. Larxene got annoyed. "Whatever," she said, but his action of undoing his jeans button caught her eye and she shut up. Immediately she tugged on the towel around her and it was undone and she stepped over toward him.

* * *

The girl went deeper into the forest now, calling frantically for Raye. "Come on!" she yelled. She had been searching for a long time now. "Where did you go?!"

Xion trudged along, getting thristy and tired and scared. Raye could be anywhere on this island; she could have been eaten by a Heartless or something!

But no, Xion then thought. Raye knows how to defend herself among Heartless and Nobodies. But still.

The thought of her losing Raye and being to blame for something - again - made her fill with terror and she quickened her pace. She had to find Raye.

The jungle was thick and dark and hot, a bird cawing in a tree somewhere. Xion's bucket of seashells was bumping aganst her leg and was getting heavier with every step. "RAYE!"

* * *

Back down at the beach the giant hole had gotten much deeper. Lexaeus' head just poked out from the top. The point to the whole thing was still unknown.

Xemnas was peering into this cavern now, looking at the dark wet sand at the bottom and the dirty men with shovels inside. Axel was walking past and noticed all this and headed over to raise an eyebrow. "Do you know what they're doing?" the redhead asked the superior.

"Not a hint of a clue," the superior replied back slowly. Axel folded his arms and debated it.

Roxas and Namine were coming back from their picnic date, holding hands and all joyful and sparkly. As they got nearer they were curious as to what Xemnas and Axel were looking at and began to go over. Then Lexaeus' head popped out of the ground and they jumped. "What is happening?!" Roxas cried.

Lexaeus turned his head toward them. They flinched. Axel and Xemnas looked over as well, and Axel waved. Namine was pointing at the head. Lexaeus ducked back down.

"Why is there -" Roxas couldn't continue, he was so freaked out. "What happened to Lexaeus' body?"

Axel looked back into the hole. "Come see," he suggested, and Namine and Roxas exchanged wary looks.

The pair went over and peered into the hole in the sand.

"Hello, young ones," Xigbar called in greeting, staring up at them. "More observers, I see."

"What are you doing?" Namine asked.

"What's it look like, cupcake?" he answered. "We're digging a hole."

"For what?" Roxas asked.

Xaldin looked up and said evenly, "We're heading to China." Xigbar burst out laughing and Namine couldn't help her little giggle.

"Are you sure you're facing the right direction?" Axel asked. Xaldin then of course had to start naming each direction and get all technical so Axel started casually dumping sand into the hole (much to outraged protests). Roxas and Namine exchanged bemused looks and shared a laugh and then headed back to the main cabin. Axel was still tossing sand in while Xaldin lectured him and Xigbar threatened to rip him a new one.

Lexaeus continued his work.

Zexion peered over his glasses at the predicament. They sure were obnoxious. All he had come out here to do had been read under his little umbrella. Soon he thought he would have to move. Not that that was a problem, the beach was big enough. He chuckled to himself.

"What on earth is going on?" Vexen's voice said suddenly from beside him, and Zexion jumped, startled.

"God dammit, Vexen," Zexion muttered. The other man looked down his nose at him.

"Quaint, Zexion," he told him. "That is what this is." He peered over at the hole in the ground. "Explain this to me."

"Why should I?" Zexion murmured as he went back to reading, or tried to. More distractions, wonderful.

It got better as Vexen sat down. "Because," he snapped. "I asked you to, and you should respect me..." blahblahblahblah. Zexion rolled his eyes. Not this spiel again. "And put that book away."

* * *

Raye was walking along a white sand beach with her bucket of few shells bumped along in the sand beside her. She had ditched Xion on purpose; to show her defiance in this whole trek and her displeasure with everything. She thought it had been very smoothly played out, and was proud of herself. The thought of getting back had never crossed her mind. Although she had gone a pretty far way out. The sun was getting hot and she had no sunblock or hat or anything, and she was getting thirsty and tired and felt like having a nap, which sounded nice considering the heat.

Raye stopped in her tracks as she saw someone in front of her. Well, not in front, but a few yards ahead, and she wasn't sure if they had seen her. But she was out on open beach... What to do?

They were wearing a pretty pink dress which looked comfortable for summer and Raye noticed they had red hair, just like her. Once she had figured out it was a girl, Raye felt a little better. The girl was standing at the water's edge looking out over the ocean, holding something. Raye was curious to know what it was, but didn't want to say anything. The girl hadn't noticed her yet.

Yet. As soon as Raye realized this, the girl turned, noticed her. Raye froze and stared at her for a few seconds. The girl was startled, but everything about her radiated kindness. She spoke. "Hi," she said to Raye.

Raye didn't know how to answer to she just gazed at the girl, who was now giving her a smile. "What's your name?" she asked.

Raye narrowed her eyes, never having been confronted with this situation before. If only Xion were with her.

After Raye had not answered, the girl looked a little concerned. "Are you lost...?" she eventually asked, stepping forward. Raye gripped the handle on her bucket tightly. "No," she finally shot out. The girl looked relieved.

"I'm Kairi," she told her. Raye looked up at her. "Do you live on the island? I've never seen you before."

Raye only shook her head, still wary. Kairi smiled again. Maybe it would be okay to talk to her...

"I'm Raye," she said quietly. "And I don't live here."

"Oh," Kairi said. Then she pointed. "Your eyes are beautiful."

Raye snapped her head up. "What?" she demanded out of surprise.

"Your eyes," Kairi motioned to her own, so Raye would understand. "They're so pretty."

"Thanks..." Raye said, unused to sudden compliments.

Kairi smiled again. "What do you have in there?" she asked, pointing to the bucket.

Raye looked inside as if she forgot she had it. She reached inside to pull out a seashell.

"You're collecting them?" Kairi asked. Raye shrugged. "This beach is a pretty good place to find shells."

"I guess," Raye said.

"Well..." Kairi said, noticing the little girl wasn't very talkative; she seemed nervous or something. "Are you visiting someone here?"

Raye shook her head. She kind of wanted to get away.

"Um. So you're on vacation?"

Raye nodded. Vacation, that was the word. As though Demyx didn't spew it out often enough.

"Cool!" Kairi said. Raye looked up again as the other girl leaned down to her level.

"What is that?" Raye demanded outright, pointing to the object in Kairi's hand. The other redhead looked at it.

"This is just... a charm." Kairi held it up. "I'm making it to look like a paopu fruit. Do you know what that is?"

Raye shook her head again. Kairi pointed to the trees. "They're up there. See em? They're shaped like stars." Raye finally saw some clustered in a palm tree. "Apparently, if two people share one, their destinies are intertwined," she told Raye, who gave her a doubtful look, and Kairi laughed. "I know it sounds ridiculous. But I think it's true." She smiled.

Raye gave her a small smile back. Nobody had ever explained to her about destiny... but this chick seemed to know what it was. Plus, she seemed happy about it.

Suddenly Raye went fishing through her bucket. Kairi was looking at the fruit things again when Raye put her hand out. "Here," she told her, and Kairi turned back with a questioning look. "Here."

"For me?" Kairi asked as Raye placed a seashell in her hand. "Thank you..."

Raye went back to clutching her shell bucket and nodded. Kairi examined the shell; smooth and oval, perfect mix of sunset shades. She looked back to Raye with a smile.

Raye shrugged. "I have other ones," she said as though to explain. Kairi shook her head.

"Thanks," she replied again, reaching out to pat Raye on the head. Raye was a little nervous at first but then she told herself this girl was friendly after all and offered another smile. Kairi straightened up. "It was nice meeting you, Raye."

Raye nodded. "Yeah," she said. How on earth was this random person being so nice to her? Kairi looked out over Raye's head. "So, you know how to get back okay?" Kairi made sure.

"Um, yeah," Raye said again. Hopefully. If not, she could holler for a pretty long time, pretty loudly too, so she had a backup plan.

"Well, I probably should go, anyway," Kairi told her, pointing a thumb back. Raye nodded. She must live here, Raye thought. "Bye!" She waved.

Raye waved back a little as the girl left. The sun was beginning to head over to the west, just a little bit, but Raye wanted to leave now anyway and she turned around to run back the way she came. Her bucket was one shell lighter.

* * *

Marluxia didn't ask questions as he saw Saix heading out from the bathroom, looking ruffled and putting his shirt right side-out. He gave a curious glance but they both otherwise passed each other without interaction and Marluxia headed straight for the bathroom as soon as Saix had gone. He went in and saw Larxene sitting in the bathtub, hugging her knees and looking irritated and angrily dumping bubble bath in the water.

"Should I ask?" Marluxia murmured as he sat on the counter. Larxene shook her head.

"But you might not want to sit there," she grumbled. He quickly jumped off his perch with a wary and disgusted look back, crossing to go sit on the edge of the tub.

"What was he doing here?" he finally asked her in a low voice, reaching out to take the bath foam she was ridding of which she handed over.

"I said not to ask," she snapped at him and he sighed as he set the bottle down.

"Right," he said.

"Now what do you want?" Larxene demanded.

Marluxia flicked foam in her face and got up. She cried out angrily and cursed at his turned back. She threw something at him as he closed the door. "Good riddance, asshole!" she yelled through the wall.

They both knew that he knew exactly why Saix was there.

* * *

It was getting later and later and Xion was getting even more worried. She had stumbled along for who knows how long and was tired and hungry and wondering where Raye was but didn't know what to do. Finally, though, she heard a sound in the trees and ferns and turned expectantly toward it, half-expecting it to be heartless.

A bird flew out with a loud caw. "Agh!" Xion cried and covered her head. She let out a heavy, long sigh once she looked back up and saw more trees and ferns. "Raye, come on..." she whimpered. All she'd wanted was to go for a walk and collect seashells.

But this island wasn't that big, was it? It probably wasn't, anyway, since there are a few, right? Xion wanted to convince herself that they were on an uninhabited island and if Raye got lost the only people or trouble she'd run into were with the rest of them. But still, Xion held her fists so tight she had marks on her palms.

"Raye!" Xion called out in a last desperate hope. "Raye-"

"What?" an annoyed voice called out.

Xion whirled around, searching and finally seeing a familiar form step out and wave leaves away from their little face. Xion almost fell to her knees in relief.

Raye looked tired and annoyed. Xion ran up to her and grabbed her shoulders immediately.

"Where were you?! What were you doing? Are you okay? You're not hurt? God dammit, Raye, god dammit! You scared me! You're lucky you're not in so much trouble! You would have gotten me in so much trouble god dammit Raye!" She was spewing out questions and everything at once so fast and was hugging her that Raye was so confused and flustered that she just stood there with wide eyes.

Finally Xion pulled back, her hands still on Raye's shoulders, and stared right into her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Suddenly Raye had a strange feeling. Something about the tone of her voice, her eyes and her expression and... oh! Xion looked so familiar... for some reason. Who did she look like, though? She resembled someone... not Namine...

"Raye?" Xion said again. "Talk."

Raye shrugged infinitesimally and replied, "I'm fine..." She was still trying to find a resemblance.

"Good." Xion closed her eyes and straightened up. "Come on, then. We have to get back. Oh, I'm so relieved..." Xion took Raye's hand. Raye gazed up at her.

Xion kept chattering nervously and throwing questions at her and Raye responded but was still tired. They finally got back to the cabins and went to the main cabin where there were lights on and activity inside. The sun was almost setting.

* * *

The beach cabin doors slid open and in came Xion and Raye. "Well, look who decided to show up," Xigbar remarked. Xion made a face at him which he laughed at and she sat on the opposite end of the couch to Marluxia, who looked obviously bored for lack of a better word. Raye stumbled around, looking for someone who would pick her up.

"Where were you all day?" Roxas asked as he went up to Xion.

She yawned. "I took her for a walk to get some seashells." Xion perked an eyebrow and shrugged. "It lasted longer than I expected."

"Apparently," he replied, and they laughed.

The atmosphere of the place was very placid and comfortable, everyone simmering down from the day's uneventfulness at their last day on the island, technically.

Namine took mercy on Raye and lifted her into her arms; she was about ready to pass out. Namine then walked over to the couch. "I'm going to bed soon," she told Roxas. He nodded and kissed her cheek when she leaned down. "Goodnight."

"Night," Roxas said. Xion mumbled a parting as well.

Namine offered an inch of a smile in return. But it was genuine; and an inch is better than nothing. Then she went off with Raye to go to the ladies' cabin.

Roxas and Xion plopped back on the couch in unison. Xion yawned again. "It's been a long day," Roxas remarked, and she looked at him. "Or at least it seemed like it."

"I know," Xion agreed. Then she bit her lip and lowered her voice. "Don't tell anyone this..." she started, and Roxas looked concerned. "Raye ran off today. It was horrible. I thought I had lost her for good." She sighed and looked at her hands in her lap.

"Nice going," teased Roxas, elbowing her lightly and playfully. Xion huffily shoved him back. He started laughing. "Leave it to you to lose track of your partner!"

"Oh, says you!" she countered. "Mr. I've-Lost-My-Memory," Xion taunted in a mocking tone. Roxas maintained his dignity and flicked her in the forehead.

"Poppet," he said. Her mouth dropped open, only to be closed again as she eyed him and said, "Kiddo."

"Shorty," said Roxas.

"Blondie."

"Fatty."

"Now you've done it!" Xion outcried, tackling him. He let out shocked cries of laughter as he tried to make sure Xion didn't punch him in the face... not like it would hurt.

Marluxia got up and went to his room now that the two of them were wrestling all over each other and were way too noisy from the get-go.

The sun set behind the horizon and twilight began to fall, casting everything a pale blue. Axel had been sitting with Saix and Xemnas out on the deck but now quietly slinked back inside to get outside and cross the space toward the other cabin. He could hear crickets beginning to chirp and the water sounded cool agains the shore. A light breeze soothed his exposed skin, warm from the tan he had gotten.

Once he had let himself inside, he padded through the house, which was quiet and seemingly empty. The overhead light in the kitchen was on, ad the fridge made a hum. He went through the hall down to one of the bedrooms.

Axel made it necessary to seem as though he had no specific reason to be there, as he opened the door silently and looked inside just to make sure someone was - or wasn't - there. Thankfully, she was sitting on the bed.

Larxene was gazing out the window and listening to music with her chin on her arms, folded across her knees. She looked up as soon as he opened the door, a frown building on her face once she identified his.

"What do you want?" She sighed and plucked the headphones out, turning the iPod off.

He leaned against the door, his posture signaling he was ready to leave at a second's notice. "Can I come in?" he asked.

Larxene turned on the bed so she could sit properly, sweeping her arm out. "Do you even have to ask?"

Axel went in and shut the door, pacing around to the end of the bed, choosing his words. "Um, I'm sorry..." he said, "about before."

She raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh?"

He sighed and leaned against the dressing table so he faced her. "I mean, it's not like it's the first time we've gotten in a fight..." he mumbled.

"What are you here for, Axel?"

"I just wanted to see you..." he said while looking down and rolling his eyes as if he knew she would reject him.

She folded her arms. "And?"

"And what?" he asked as he looked up.

Larxene shrugged and gave him a look as though it was obvious. "You can see me?"

Axel shuffled over to the bed like a guilty child. She moved over to make room for him and he laid his forehead on her shoulder. "This is ridiculous, you know," he murmured.

"What part?" she asked, taking his face in her hand and turning towards him, bringing his face against her chest.

"Everything," he breathed, tired, exasperated. Her other arm held his head to her body, and she saw her reflection in the dressing table mirror. Larxene's face was tired; she had not noticed, or just not wanted to, before then. She was tired of being all secretive and indecisive. Maybe she knew what Axel was talking about, she felt the same; because it was like each word he spoke was truthful in meaning. He kissed her and nuzzled her chest and cleavage as she brought her eyes down from her reflection, cradling him. She let out the tiniest sigh. Why was she thinking deeply? Larxene asked herself. Axel pushed her onto the bed and began to kiss up her neck instead. It was much easier to not think about these things.

"Axel," she began, her voice hushed for some reason, but he silenced whatever she may have been about to say by putting his lips on hers. She conceded and kissed him back soon but finally pushed against him once they got fevered. Axel leaned away, watching her.

"You should go," she murmured, not meeting his eyes. Larxene stroked his shoulder with her knuckles.

"Why?" he asked, honestly wanting to know; and she knew he did. She shook her head though, decisively placing her hand on his arm to push him up.

"You just should," Larxene told him. They both reluctantly sat up, the room getting darker from lack of natural light. Neither of them said anything for a bit. Larxene looked down and saw Axel's hand was slightly placed over hers.

She looked up to notice he was looking at her with worry. "It's okay," she told him, like _Get over it._ She offered one of her knowing smiles. "Seriously."

He sighed and allowed her that, also allowing her to lean in and kiss him again. Lingeringly, he noted. When they parted by a fraction of an inch, he watched as she kept looking at his mouth, almost looking like she had changed her mind.

"Alright," she finally said. Axel got up. But then Larxene grabbed him around the neck to pull him down to her mouth again. He was released and started toward the door before she had gotten up to follow him and their lips eagerly found each other again. Axel was amused to a certain degree because every time Larxene stopped kissing him she just started again. She would have to stop for good otherwise she would make him get an erection.

"I thought I was going?" he asked with a hint of a grin. She seemed frustrated with herself and her hands clung to his neck. She forced herself to let go eventually and almost shoved him out the door. Axel smiled to himself as he went back to his own cabin.

Back in her room, Larxene leaned against the door, chewing her lip, which was still warm and moist from all the kisses. Now she wanted him to come back, she debated running after him and hiding off into the forest like two teenagers at a summer party... Like Saix and her had done not one night ago. Suddenly that put her off. Maybe she just wanted some sex.

She had made Axel leave, though, just because she was extremely nervous. For what reason, she wasn't sure, but it felt like every time she met anyone - specifically male - she was paranoid about getting caught. By whom or for what reason, there was none. So one the one hand she did want him or anybody to come waltz back into her bedroom. Then again it would feel wrong.

_Or maybe,_ she told herself, _You're nervous about something else. Something that has to do with sex. You know what it is, you don't want to think of it._

Larxene knew it was true and untrue, but did not act upon it. She went straight to bed and forgot it.


	23. Lovers' Spat

**_You shoul read this...maybe_**_**i apologize deeply for taking forever to even start writing this chapter, and honestly i have no idea what the fuck even came out of it. lately i havent been doin good and theres stuff happenin but in any case i have another chapter! :) even if it's a really bad chapter...ayway i added a couple 'flashbacks'** **can you guess who they are about ?**  
_

_**yeah so anyway hopefully i willget back to updating every now and then like before, trust me i want to :/ and hopefully the story will get more interesting soon. **  
_

**_again my apologies. read on lovelies._**

* * *

_"We either go to my room, or your room; or the hall, or the stairs, or the wall, or wherever. It can be long, we could do a quickie. It can be dragged out as long as we get satisfied. Sometimes it sucks, sometimes it's amazing. Sometimes I can't see your face; sometimes we close our eyes. We could stare at each other. We can laugh, or get angry, or neither. We could not say a word. We could talk each other through it. We could say anything, recite god damn poetry. Either we're naked or just halfway there; there aren't always sheets. We could try different things, different positions, different roles, different toys, anything we wanted to. We could be rough, we could be gentle, intimate, or just disinterested. We could be loud or silent; you can scream my name or whisper it or not say it at all, I don't care. There could be a lot of touching or none. We could take a while or jump right into it. We could figure out what we like. We could not care at all. This is our time together, when we get together; the time when we are alone and no one can bother us. The time when we just think about it, each other, and what is happening. When we do this it could be selfish, it could be mutual, it could be humble. It could be just for us. And when we're done, we can lie together, or stand, or be; our bodies sticky and wet and hot and breathing against each other. We could get up and leave, we could stay together. We could lie together and fall asleep. We could stay awake and talk, about anything. One of us could fall asleep, while we watch the other. Hell, one of us could fall asleep while the other does whatever the fuck we want. We could even have sex again. We could have sex however many times we want. Wherever we want. We can look at each other, we could make out; we could roll over and not talk until the next morning. That's the thing: this is what we do together, it's ours. Your body is mine, and vice versa."_

* * *

The noise behind her escalated. She was about to turn around and snap someone's neck in three, two, one - and she was tackled from behind. Larxene let out a yell of rage which reverberated all throughout the entire Castle.

It was good to be home.

"What the hell is going on?!" screamed Larxene, twisting around to glare at the little gremlin latched onto her leg. Raye was laughing hyserically, but she looked sheepish now that her mother was freaking out at her. Larxene shifted her glare upwards to see Demyx trying to hold in his laughter, leaning into the wall and not making eye contact. "What the hell is going on?" Larxene repeated savagely.

Demyx started to shake his head when Raye burst out, "Saix gets mad easily," before laughing harder and falling over onto the floor. Larxene stepped away, straightening her coat and saying, "Right."

"Trust me, don't go near him," Demyx warned, leaning down to pick Raye off the floor.

"What exactly did you two do?" Larxene asked, disinterested, sticking a hand on her hip. "Not smash into his backside, too, I hope."

"That's what she said," Raye choked inaudibly, falling back to the ground. Larxene looked down at her, demanding, "What was that?"

Demyx yanked the tiny redhead up by her wrists, and, with her dangling in the air, parted through welcome darkness with the words, "Don't ask."

Once the hall was finally quiet again, the blonde scoffed and turned back to her things, carrying her remaining bags from the hall to her room.

The troupe had returned just that day, it was morning, and for some reason everyone seemed hyped up to be back. _I'm not,_ Larxene growled to herself, _All it means is work. And it's cold here._ Besides, now she had an even better reason for everyone to hate her. All the drama from the vacation was probably going to come back with them all to the Castle.

Larxene showered and changed into a lazy big shirt without toweling, going ahead to unpack her things. What she didn't expect was someone to be sitting in her room - much less laying across her bed. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared.

Axel had taken the book from her bag and was casually reading it with an offhand expression. "Are you just nasty in general, or always horny?" he asked, not really waiting for an answer. "You brought a porno novel. How many of these do you even have?"

"What are you doing on my bed?" Larxene asked instead, stiffly walking over, regretting her choice of clothing instantly. Axel shut the book and dangled it between his fingers as he watched her lean over his crossed ankles and grabbed her bag and suitcase.

"Courtesan lifestyle," he said, spreading his hands. Larxene rolled her eyes and tossed the bags on the floor, walking over to her dresser to yank out some pants or shorts of some kind. Axel frowned. "Now why are _you_ putting clothes on?"

She didn't turn as she stated, "To make it harder for you to stick me with something, _namely_ a penis."

He raised an eyebrow in irritation. "You make it sound painful, sweetie," he said dully.

"One day you're going to be a rapist."

Axel rolled his eyes as well, glaring out the window.

Larxene found some sweatpants, hoping to make herself look the least attractive as possible, and then proceeded to brandish knives. Axel jumped.

"You've got a choice, Axel," she said, examining a blade. "And that choice is _LEAVE_."

He sat up. "That's hardly fair," he persuaded.

"I come out of the shower almost naked, unknowing, and that's fair?" she rebutted.

Axel pouted like a child. "I thought I was allowed in here."

"I am so close to throwing this knife, you have no idea-"

Suddenly, Axel sprung up and locked Larxene's wrists together, causing her to drop the weapon and kick upwards. She hit the spot. Then she electrocuted him.

"RAPIST!" she yelled. She zapped him again. "Get the fuck out of my room!"

Axel glared up at her through his pain. "You bitch," he spat.

Larxene only raised her eyebrow and turned away.

Axel finally up and asked the question, "Why are you so mad at me?"

She ignored him. Angry, Axel ignored his pain and made it so Larxene couldn't get past him. She narrowed her eyes as he shuffled back and forth to avoid her getting by.

"Why are you being so annoying?" she asked him.

"Why are you being so passive and pissed?" he said back.

Larxene rolled her eyes and whirled away in a cast of darkness.

She locked herself in her washroom, sighing and sinking down to the floor. Axel stood outside the door, supressing a sigh himself, and he asked, "Just answer the question, please?"

That surprised her. Please? _He never says please._ Larxene scratched her forehead as she replied, "What, exactly, do you want to know again?"

"What's the matter with you?" Axel asked, placing his hand on the door. His fingers slid down as he lowered himself to a crouch. Larxene, on the other end, picked her answer as she sucked on the end of a blade.

"You wanna have sex?"

"Don't change the subject," Axel groaned, smacking his forehead against the door. He heard Larxene giggling on the other end and glared.

"Well, I take that as a no," Larxene told him, tossing the knife and landing it in the wall before it faded. "You can't take that back later. Maybe someone else will get lucky."

"Okay, you know what? That's another thing." Axel disappeared and reformed inside the washroom, seeing Larxene's face darken as she stood up. "You say you like _me_ the best and then you hop around fucking every other man you goddamn _see_!"

"Don't raise your voice at me," Larxene snapped loudly back.

"I'm starting to think that's the only way to get your attention for two seconds," Axel yelled. Larxene's face heated up with rage.

"You want to say that again?" she demanded, knives appearing in between her fingers in half a second, and not a second more she was lunging at Axel with them, swiping dangerously close as he evaded her throws. "Fuck you!"

Axel hid away in darkness, but not for long, since Larxene knew where he was going and followed him into the bedroom. She was enraged and started tossing knives at each spot where Axel appeared, and then disappeared just as a blade flew past the spot where he had previously been.

When the back of Axel's leg was grazed he finally took out his own weapons and deflected another knife before flinging his chakram at Larxene. Although she was as fast as lightning, she hadn't been expecting him to retaliate so viciously, and was slammed into the wall, pinned in by the heated weapon. Her waist was caught in between the space between the spikes, where they dug into the wall, and she struggled for a second before dissipating into darkness. Axel brought his weapon back to him, wary of Larxene's presence, and suddenly felt a sharp edge against his neck and held his breath.

"How dare you," Larxene muttered darkly.

"How dare _I_?" he said, turning his head to face her.

"Fuck off," she said. "Fuck you!" She cried out when he grabbed her arm. "Fuck off!" she shrieked again.

"Calm down," he said forcefully. "What is the _matter_?"

Larxene's shirt had stuck to her skin now and she felt all exposed. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because," he pleaded. "Why shouldn't you, Larx?"

She curled her lip and growled out, "Do you really deserve me?"

Axel let go in disgust, anger clouding his eyes. "No, I deserve much better," he spat back. "I just make do with you."

"I have much better choices than you, anyway," Larxene cried. "You're miserable!"

"Fuck you," Axel said. "_Fuck you_."

"Yeah, fuck me, right?" Larxene laughed bitterly. "That's what you did! Look at you go! Now we've got a baby!"

"Aren't I absolutely _thrilled _with that!" Axel yelled. "And it's related to _you,_ how could I have gotten so lucky?!"

"Get the fuck out of my room!" Larxene shrieked, throwing another knife. "You piece of shit!"

"I hate you," Axel said in a low voice as he exited in a corridor of darkness. His words reverberated around her room.

"I hate _you_," Larxene repeated, and shrieked in anger and tossed all of her weapons against the wall. "_I hate you._"

* * *

_"You know I would stay here with you, naked, all the time if I could? If I was allowed?"_

_"Don't think I don't feel the same way."_

_He chuckled._

_"So what are we gonna do about that, then? We've only got about a few hours until morning."_

_"You tell me."_

_After they were done, she got up and went to the washroom, turning back to smile slyly at him, where he lay on his back, watching her go with admiration and longing. She was back in minutes._

_"You're amazing," she told him. "Never thought I'd admit that, but you are."_

_He smirked. "Oh, really? And why me?" He was honestly curious. And for some reason he didn't like it._

_She traced his lips with her black-painted nails, licking her lip in thought. "Well," she started. "You know what they say about tall guys."_

_"Ah, yes," he agreed. "And is it true?"_

_"I would think so," she chuckled, crawling over him to sit astride his hips. He watched her._

_"And that's why I'm your favorite?" he asked. "My size?"_

_"Oh, no no," she continued, bending down and taking his face in her hands, stroking his cheeks with her thumbs. "You're extremely hilarious... in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way." _

_"So I have a big dick and I'm humorous."_

_"And you're getting annoying," she said, pulling away to sit up straight. He admired the view. "Jesus, take a compliment for once."_

_"You don't have to call me Jesus," he said._

_She smacked him._

_"Didn't you used to think I was gay?"_

_"You are half gay," she said, tickling her nails down his stomach, giving him chills. _

_"Like you would know," he retorted._

_"I would know," she told him. "By doing some exploring." She smiled widely. "And you liked it."_

_"I don't remember this," he said offhandedly, his face turning pink in the dark._

_Her upright body was shining in the moonlight. "Oh, honey, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Don't deny it. I heard the moans."_

_"That doesn't make me gay," he protested._

_"And having sex with women doesn't make you straight," she told him. "Would it make you feel better if I told you I was gay, too?"_

_"That would more likely turn me off, hun," he said sarcastically._

_"Bullshit," she said, beginning to grind her hips against his. _

_"Weren't we supposed to be going to sleep?"_

_"Shut up," she said. Her work was being done._

_He grabbed her hips as he rose up against her, making her giggle and adjust her position. "Are you sure you can handle this much in one night?" she asked as she eased down._

_He responded, "I'm not flopping down yet, am I?" _

_She moved up and down. "Not yet." She stared at him testily and kept moving. "This is getting boring," she yawned._

_He sat up and pushed her down backwards onto the bed, making her squeal. He grabbed her legs, smirking and saying, "Satisfied?"_

_"Getting there," she agreed, trying to make her voice even. "Fuck me already."_

* * *

Raye sat with Namine as she drew a picture of the Moogle floating around, her expression concerned. It had sounded like her parents were screaming again, but it didn't sound good. Sadly enough, it was a common occurrence. Namine appeared oblivious to it, or at least she was ignoring it. They were sitting in the library together, the only quiet place in the Castle. For some reason, Raye felt a nice connection with the room, although it was relatively creepy and blank. A lot of the Organization's members spent time in the library, especially Zexion and Lexaeus. The best part about the library was that no one would bother them if they were in there.

Namine was reading quietly, her legs crossed with the book on her lap. Raye had another book underneath her drawing so there was a base, and to be quite honest, the picture looked nothing like the poor Moogle. It was only half-completed in any case, since Raye had been sitting rigidly while listening to the horrendous yelling from upstairs. Why was everything in the Castle so easy to hear from one room to the next? Unless you were at the other end, then you were safe; but she could hear someone walking all the way down the hall and it was hard to keep a conversation secret when there were people around - especially if the conversation was being held in the room right next to someone.

Suddenly a devastating crash and shattering was heard, sounding close, making Namine and Raye jump. Everything got quiet for a second and then it was as if all activity resumed. Namine reached over to pet Raye's hair comfortingly, while closing her book and sitting up. "I wonder what that could have been," Namine said mildly. Raye stared at the floor. The Moogle had disappeared.

"Well, do you want to go take a nap..." Namine trailed off as Raye placed her things on the table and proceeded to walk out of the library. "Where are you going?" she called after her. Not responding, Raye continued off while Namine stared at the doorway in puzzlement.

* * *

Upstairs, Larxene stood in her room, in front of the mirror thoughtfully. She had a certain glow of pleasure at the fact that she had heard Axel get rather angry about their little dispute just then, but at the same time she was wondering what to do next with that certain situation when there was a knock on the door.

"Who the fuck wants in?" she demanded loudly.

Larxene turned to see Raye's small form walking in hesitantly, coat trailing along behind her.

"Oh, hey." Larxene sighed and went over. "What is it, hun?"

"Are you and daddy fighting?" _Again? _Raye almost added.

Oh, great, Larxene thought. "No, why?" she asked in annoyance.

"Because I heard you yelling..." Raye mumbled, knowing she was going to get yelled at too.

"Oh, yeah, well, that's just your father being an asshole," she said, hoping Axel had heard. "Not like I care."

"Mm-hmm."

"So what are you up to?" Larxene asked Raye, crouching down so they were at eye level together. "Tired from the trip?"

"No," said Raye, shaking her head.

"Well, good, because I was thinking you could start training again, actually, maybe Saix -"

Larxene stopped abruptly, making Raye raise an eyebrow in questioning.

"Or, nevermind," said Larxene instead. She frowned. "Forget it."

Staring at her but not saying anything, Raye nodded once.

"Alright, then," Larxene said, picking Raye up under the arms, "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"You, my friend, are going to sleep."

"Why?" Raye whined.

"If you argue with me I will slit your throat open, understand?" she warned.

Raye sighed, knowing there was no argument.

* * *

"Well, then." Saix surveyed the mess that was once the kitchen. "Congratulations, Axel. You have truly impressed me."

Axel was sitting with his head hung low in the corner, wishing he had enough willpower to set himself on fire. There was some scattered kitchen machinery around him, all flung everywhere, much like the rest of the room. He had come in and attacked anything in sight (luckily no one was present at the time) and needless to say, the place had had a near-death experience. Sadly, Axel hadn't found any alcohol anywhere.

"So what caused it this time?" Saix asked with little hope of an answer. "Not like I hadn't heard it from down here, anyway. Everyone can hear you two having your little lovers' spat up there."

"It's not a god damn lover's spat, you asshole," Axel moaned. "We aren't lovers."

"So, it's just another death match."

Moaning in response.

"You know, I don't understand why you even let it bother you so much," said Saix, examining a melted pot lid. "You're sitting there all curled up in the corner like a little bitch-"

"Jerk _off_," Axel told him. "Seriously."

Saix surveyed the mess again. "What am I going to tell Xemnas about this, Axel?"

"The cat did it," Axel said, giving a hopeless little laugh at the end.

"Okay then," Saix agreed. "He'll know who I mean when I mention the pussy-"

"Leave me alone, you son of a bitch," Axel said with loathing, looking up finally. "Can't you just leave me alone?"

"Once you learn to grow up," Saix told him, turning around and leaving, for his own good.

Sighing angrily, Axel put his head in his hands. If only there was alcohol, or something. Maybe he could jump off of the roof, too, for some recreational fun. It sounded more attractive than having to face that horrible witch again.

"What in the bloody hell happened here?" came Luxord's voice. Axel lifted his head again. Luxord was looking at the kitchen with a look of bewilderment on his face. He noticed Axel in the corner. "This was you, wasn't it?"

"Hey, you're the one who has all the booze, right?" Axel asked. "Right?"

"Oh, don't tell me you're feeling sorry for yourself," Luxord said. "And that you just desperately want to get wasted."

"Please," Axel begged, beginning to get up.

"Dear Kingdom Hearts," Luxord muttered. "If it's that bad..."

* * *

Saix looked up from his conversation with Roxas to see Larxene storming toward him, and he swallowed nervously at the look she was giving him. Telling Roxas to get going, Saix inhaled deeply and met Larxene the rest of the way, as she sent a dirty look to Roxas so he would hurry up. "What now?" asked Saix neutrally.

"Do you know where the hell Axel is?" she asked sweetly. He closed his eyes for a second, looking like he was trying hard to think.

"Hmm, last time I saw him would be..." He opened his eyes. "Lying in the mess he's made of the kitchen, presumably because of whatever horrifying thing you said to him this time."

"Of course," she snapped under her breath.

"And seeing the fact that he was still talking to me at all, I'm supposing you didn't mention my name," added Saix.

"Yeah, your ass is safe," Larxene said. "You're welcome. Although it would be amusing to see how he'd react; maybe slowly rip each of your limbs apart."

"That is definitely a pleasing picture, yes." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Is that all?"

"Sure, whatever, yes," Larxene told him, and he started to leave. "Um, wait a second?" she demanded, as if it was the obvious thing to do. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from here," he stated, glancing down at her hand on his arm. "You know, this doesn't look very professional..."

"You know what doesn't look professional, Saix?" Larxene hissed, forcing him backwards, leaning forwards to get in his face. "When you're lying all fancy across my naked body, sticking yourself inside of me and not really thinking twice about it."

"Why are you blaming me?" he muttered back, hoping no one would walk by. "You're the one who started it in the first place."

"I'm sure Axel will believe that."

"Just think of this as something that happened once, and no more." Saix spoke hurriedly but convincingly. "And it won't happen again. All right? We won't even think about it."

Larxene lowered her heels to the floor again, rolling her eyes to the ceiling, sighing loudly. "Sure," she replied.

Saix narrowed his eyes. "Are you?"

Larxene locked her own eyes on his. "Am I what?" she asked suspiciously.

"Sure, I mean," he clarified.

She paused for a second. "Yeah," she finally snapped. "Now leave me alone." She stormed off again.

Saix sighed heavily, bringing his hand up to his eyes and rubbing them tiredly. What a wonderful specimen she was to deal with, indeed.


End file.
